Pradesh Week 2018: Lucy's Complicated Life
by BlasphemousOrder
Summary: Lucy had never had a simple life, not since her mother passed away, but it was full of adventures and opportunities to meet new people. This story focuses on Lucy's interaction with a particular Boscan family and it is my present to you Desna. Happy Birthday!
1. Announcement

Welcome to Pradesh Week 2018. I know I currently have 2 stories in progress at the moment that many of you are reading and wanting updates on but how could I not celebrate the woman who created the characters that turned me from only a reader to a writer as well? It was her story Lacrima Draconian that had me falling in love with Cristoff and thinking he'd be perfect for Lucy and thus Do They Really Exist was born.

Now that I've justified starting a new story, *blinks innocently* I'll have you all know this story I actually started back at the beginning of the year but put it on the back burner because I had way too many things going on. After much deliberation when looking at the different prompts:

Day 1 Shatter

Day 2 Lick

Day 3 Summit

Day 4 Concede

Day 5 Particular

Day 6 Huge

Day 7 Doxy

Bonus Brinstone

Day 1 starts August 5th.

Finally, inspiration hit and I only had to tweak a little of what I'd already written to make the prompts fit then I built off of that. This story is about Lucy's Complicated Life and how she met each of the Pradesh siblings. The timeline jumps around like in Pulp Fiction but at least I will provide the year and month plus its relation to the "present" to help you all follow along. This was how the story came to me so no apologies are coming your way from this corner about the time jumps.

Also, I've changed cannon a bit so this is a divergent universe. I've tried to include references to each significant change of event to drive what is different. For example, similar to Des, the seven year gap? Try 6 months... I might post the final timeline of this story at the end if you are interested in all that.

I think that's all I had to say…Oh wait! There will be a prologue too because there was some setup wanted out there before giving you Shatter. Happy Reading!

Love, Blas


	2. Prologue

I this it is obvious I don't own Fairy Tail or any of Hiro Mashima's characters. I also did not invent the Pradesh family this story will heavily use, Desna did that. Somehow these facts don't stop me from having my way with them :P

* * *

Prologue

Year x788: April; Present

The last of the winter chill had finally loosened its grasp on the coastal town and the residents of Magnolia were anxious to enjoy the warmer spring weather. The crowds moved quickly through the streets on the Saturday morning to visit the outdoor farmers' market, meet up with friends at outdoor cafés or any number of things they'd been denied when the snow had fallen heavily on the ground during the past couple months.

Alone in the bustle of the crowd was a singular petite young woman, long flaxen hair in a high pony tail, face completely vacant of life. Her pace was significantly slower than the chaos around her yet somehow she remained unmolested in her path as the weekender's unconsciously gave her a wide berth as if her state of mind was infectious.

Turning off the main street the woman stopped after a few houses passed, her haunted brown eyes looking up at the ominous structure that only 24 hours ago she would have considered home. The once welcoming Brownstone with the best bay windows you could imagine, perfect for curling up into to read for hours, now loomed over her head oppressively. She swore she could hear it silently accusing her for ruining the happiness of the newly mated couple inside. _Homewrecker! Slag! Find your own family!_ Whether the sentiments were real or imaginary they echoed in her mind.

She loved both of the men inside dearly. They had turned out to be some of the best friends she could have ever asked for and she was thrilled that they had finally found love with each other. When Erik suddenly claimed Bickslow as his mate Lucy had happily grabbed some of her things from the Brownstone and moved into Erik's small flat so the new couple had the space and privacy needed to solidify their bond over the following month and a half. She even went so far as to go on extra jobs in order to keep the cupboards stocked with their favorites and the utilities paid in full so the men didn't have to worry about anything other than finally being happy in each other's arms.

It had been her initial plan, pending Erik's approval, to take up his lease officially and move out of the house as he moved in. His apartment was surprisingly nice if not a bit small and expensive for the size, but with housing still a little tight in Magnolia after Tartarus and Alvarez's invasion it was her best option. That plan had gone up in smoke but in a pleasant weekend bonfire at the beach kind of way after a frantic call from her soul mage friend earlier today.

Bix had been freaking out when she answered his call going on and on about thinking she'd been kidnapped, again, since neither he nor Erik had seen hide nor hair of her since _that_ night. They'd been so wrapped up in each other that they had only noticed she'd been missing when they finally came up for air earlier that morning. Erik had wandered upstairs to see if she wanted to join them for breakfast only to find her space in a mess, her scent fading in the house and a silver gate key dropped on the floor.

In Lucy's defense, that particular night she'd fled the house had gone completely sideways and she'd been in quite a hurry to give them their privacy so half her closet ended up on the floor as she emptied then shoved as much as she could in her suit case before dashing out of the house. Plus, Corvus's key hadn't been added to her charm bracelet along with her other keys since there hadn't been a chance to make a contract with him yet. Can alone really blame her that she didn't notice his key had fallen from her pocket when she threw her clothes back on until the next day? The three of them _had_ only gotten home from their mission together – where she earned his key – the night of the surprise mating so sue her.

Every time in the following month she tried her best to sneak back upstairs to recover the key the mating pair seemed to always be between her and it in flagrante delicto. Seeing them go at it on the stairs, while fucking hot, was not very helpful since they blocked he only way to get to the 3rd floor.

Her floor, her home she'd happily lived in for the last 2 years. Bickslow even let her renovate and convert his entire top floor into a flat per her own specifications.

When she tried to explain her future plans of moving out to them over that call Erik just said, "Get your ass home Starfire," and that was that.

Now though, so much had happened between leaving Erik's apartment and arriving back at the Brownstone. A twenty minute walk and everything had changed. Her little announcement was going to ruin everything she just knew it. Taking a deep steadying breath Lucy walked up the steps. There was never going to be a good time to tell the boys the news and judging by the singular wide indigo eye that just appeared not a foot in front of her in the now open doorway, one of them already knew.

-LCL-

Year x786: January; Two Years Before Present

The forest was peaceful with snow gently covering the ground as Laxus strolled through the undergrowth on his way back from his latest training session. He honestly could not understand why, out of all the other magic guilds in Fiore the Thunder Legion could have chosen to join, they picked Blue Pegasus. Master Bob might have once been a Fairy Tail mage when he was much younger and his guild might get a lot of really good high paying job requests, but really, you had to basically flirt and kiss the clients' collective asses before they would even give you the job.

The powerhouse but not very socially well versed man was not made to act like those pampered playboys and he refused to humiliate himself just for the _opportunity_ for a job. Jobs should go to those who were best suited to and most capable of completing them _not_ just the person most willing to debase themselves for cash. He was a double S-class lightening dragon slayer not a professional escort that just happened to have magic. At least his reputation brought in enough well playing clients specifically looking for him to keep him mostly busy. He spend the rest of his time on these training trips.

Grunting Laxus stopped seeing a stream not 5 feet in front of him. He could have sworn that he'd not passed a stream when he'd left the guild 2 weeks ago but there was no way he could be lost… not again. He was a dragon slayer for fuck's sake. Shouldn't he have some sort of heightened sense of direction that prevented him from always losing himself anytime he was outside of Magnolia? Tell that to his fucking tramp of a dragon soul. Laxus swore the bastard intentionally has him walking in the wrong direction just so he could wander around aimlessly.

Taking a look at his surroundings again and where the sun hung in the sky the blonde behemoth of a mage adjusted his direction to start heading due west but froze in his tracks feeling a large release of magic coming from the south.

Large releases of magic like that always spelt trouble and so close to his new guild? It was not something the lightening slayer could just ignore so he changed courses again this time in a direct path to the disturbance. There was something so familiar about how the magic felt and after only ten minutes of walking Laxus caught a familiar scent he'd always associated with celestial spirits drifting on the breeze. That was when it all clicked and Laxus felt concern and the answering adrenaline flood his veins. Magic charged he immediately slipped into his pure electricity form at shot to the epicenter of the magical fallout.

-LCL-

His lightening hit the forest floor with a loud crack when he landed in the center of a crater. Laxus' burnt orange eyes scanned the clearing his body tense and ready to attack whatever caused the limp figure he was standing over to release so much magic. No strange sounds, no odd smells, not even signs of tracks leaving the area. _What the hell happened?_ he asked silently. It looked like a fucking meteor fell from the sky. Kneeling down on one leg, all of his senses still focused on the surrounding area on high alert, Laxus brushed the long blonde locks from the long slender neck of his old guild mate so he could feel for a pulse. It was weak but steady.

Scanning the area one last time the giant of a man picked up his fellow blonde carefully and his breath stalled. If there was one thing Laxus knew it was his way around the female body and with the curves that Lucy'd rocked so innocently on the daily… she really should weigh a whole hell of a lot more than what he was carrying right now. It only took a moment, his eyes locking onto the young woman now cradled in his arm and seeing past the blood and bruising for his stomach to turn.

Gone was her flawless pale skin and soft sensuous curves. Instead Lucy's skin was a mottled dark tan with patches red form burning and a much leaner frame. She wasn't completely skin and bones, thank Mavis, but gods he could see her ribs and hips protruding near her waist. _What the hell had happened to her?_

Pulling out his com he channeled his magic.

"Laxus, are you finally returning home?" a hopeful baritone voice cheered.

"Freed, send up the flare and contact a healer." His deep voice gruffed out.

"Are you injured? What honor-less tramp of a traitorous dog…" Freed's smooth voice continued on in his self-righteous indignant rant for a minute longer before Laxus shifted Lucy's body and a growl tore from his throat. Any other day he'd happily listen to the creative monologue from one of his best friends but right now his patience at was at its end.

"I'm fine. The flare Freed, now," he commanded then cut the call looking up until the bright rune spelling home glittered in the distance shimmering purple against the light blue winter sky. "Fucking finally," he muttered charging his lightening again making his way toward the Blue Pegasus Guild Hall and hopefully toward some medical attention for the emaciated blonde in his arms.

-LCL-

Lucy shifted slightly on the comfortable surface feeling the aches of her body protesting the movement before she gave up trying to do anything but lying still. She felt like she'd been hit by a train and was a little wary about her new surroundings. Lucy'd spent the better part of the last three months in that forest, specifically, training non-stop with her spirits so she knew what the forest floor felt like having forgone her spirits' offers to make her a more comfortable camp. The ground of the wilds did not feel like smooth sheets stretched over a plush mattress, aka heaven.

After Fairy Tail, the first home she'd found after her mother died, was disbanded Lucy wanted, no, needed to know how to be able to survive without her magic. The war with Tartarus made that obvious; no mage no matter how strong had an endless magical supply and her lack was the cause of at least some of her loss.

All her life she'd spent so much time on the little comforts she'd been used to growing up within her privileged household. It might not have been the most inviting and homey of places after her mother passed and her father iced her out but it had been dry, warm, provided everything else she could have possibly wanted, except her father's love, and above all else really fucking physically comfortable.

Training with her first keys, presents for her sixth birthday from one of the kinder business associates her father worked with, back then had been more about play and learning than anything else. Even as her collection of gate keys grew, Lucy spent most of her time with her socially instead of learning how to best work with and use their magic. The year before she ran away was a little better if only to understand what each spirit might be able to do to help her get away but not by much. Before settling in Magnolia Lucy didn't take on any freelancing jobs instead living off of her savings and splurging on having a warm bed to sleep in every night since.

Even after having her own apartment for over two years, through all the chaos and injuries she'd taken while being a member of Fairy Tail, Lucy found she was still a pampered princess. Yes she was tough as nails, stubborn, could take a hit and had learned to fight somewhat as a necessity of being partners with Natsu, but not effectively. She was 19 and still too ill prepared in too many scenarios – like when she ran out of magic and alone.

Lucy might be angry, annoyed and sad that Natsu left her to train with Happy but had he dragged her along she would have honestly been miserable the whole time not ready to admit how desperately she needed to be uncomfortable, she needed to learn. When it came down to it Lucy couldn't feel any actual hate toward the man. Her pyromaniac friend didn't know the guild was going to disband the day he left and if she were to continue being honest with herself Lucy knew she would have been just fine emotionally with him leaving the way he had, had her home and entire support system not been taken away right after.

Out of all people, Lucy understood people coped with loss differently and Natsu had just lost his dad and probably needed the solitude training provided – Happy did not and could not ever count as company – to wrap his head around things. She still planned to give the pinkette a piece of her mind the next time she saw him for not saying goodbye in person, make no mistake, but the rest…her losing everything - Aquarius, her home - had not been his fault.

It felt like it for a while because when she'd gotten back to her apartment still reeling from Fairy Tail's disbandment that was when she found out she lost her partners too and it had all just been too much. Thinking back on it now, Lucy felt a more hurt by Erza's and Gray's actions than Natsu's. He'd left her in the hands of the only family he had left on Earthland with the note telling her what he was doing and why. Erza and Gray, on the other hand, both just wondered off without so much as a bye your leave.

For 2 solid weeks the celestial mage did nothing but cry and sleep because her second family abandoned her just like her father had and for the same reason too – grief. It brought up all her feelings of inadequacy, her feelings that maybe she really wasn't worth loving. It was on the morning of the start of the third week Lucy successfully faced life again with determined eyes. She donating almost everything she owned and what she kept Virgo stored in the celestial realm until Lucy learned how to create a magical holding space.

She had finally decided, it was time to train seriously and took a leaf from Natsu's book and headed for the wilderness unhindered by anything but essentials. It was time to break the cycle and do the things she admired others for, find a love for who she is and what she can do, gain that calm sure presence that comes with the assurance of her capabilities. That unpopulated wilds of Fiore was an excellent place to get to know who she was, what she was capable of and it was where she'd spent the last 6 months; the first three travelling northeast towards the mountains while she trained, the second three here where she lived off the land by herself.

Lucy still called her spirits frequently to help teach her how to fight, train her magic, focus her mind, learn how to strategize or for amiable company before she went to bed so she didn't end up going stir-crazy during her self-imposed exile; they were still foremost her friends.

The gymnastics and dancing lessons she'd taken as a child finally because useful, honed into an effective fighting style specific for her small frame. Instead of the brute strength her old teammates used when they fought, Lucy worked on her speed, flexibility and the precision necessary to strike vital areas quickly when her opponent was open and dodge or deflect an opponent's brutal attacks. Capricorn, Cancer and Loke had worked together to come up with this special technique for her so now if she was low or out of magic she could paralyze her assailant with a few quick jabs and call in for backup.

The petite blonde may not ever be able to do the all-out brawling her old friends used to do on the daily but at least now she could be just as devastating without her magic.

In her heart Lucy knew she should have trained more seriously like this much sooner, truly learned how to take care of herself better before she left home. Instead she fell into the same patterns she had with her father and let her team steamroll over her decisions and "protect" her from harm. Overall she was glad she'd done this now even though it was only in the last month that she managed to successfully hunt enough food each day to start building back some weight on her body; winter really had limited her food options. Starvation was not fun!

So, waking up warm in a comfortable bed was an obvious giveaway to the celestial mage that she was not where she had been knocked out from her spell's backlash. The lack of breeze and sounds of nature signified she was indoors somewhere and the soft bed and smooth sheets indicated she'd been found by a human instead of an animal in her weakened state. The jury was still out if she was in a better situation than before though. Some pervert could have "rescued" her and now had her locked up to be his sex slave…

Loke had warned her not to try the Supernova spell just yet but did she listen? Hell no and the pressure kickback from her own magical attack had knocked her pretty little ass out before she could even finish the spell. She knew she had the magic power to fuel and execute it perfectly, thank the stars or else she'd be dead now, just not the physical fortitude to channel and wield it just yet. Lucy could foresee lots of eating and strength training in her future before using that little gem in a fight.

"So blondie, want to tell me what the hell happened to you?" a deep voice called through the silent room causing said blonde to start and swear at the pain from moving so suddenly.

"Laxus?" Lucy croaked out unbelievingly. Maybe her luck was finally starting to change for the better? Where the hell did he even come from?

The mattress she was laying on dipped as large warm callused hands helped her sit up from her prone position. Intense eyes glinted in the moonlight streaming into the room she now recognized as an infirmary. They were filled with relief, joy and just the slightest hint of possessiveness and anger, a combination she'd easily come to recognize from all the times her old teammates used it on her when she got back from being kidnapped. It was a new look on her fellow blonde though, but unlike the feelings of self-recrimination and embarrassment that filled her very being when Erza, Gray or Natsu looked at her that way, Lucy was different now and Laxus' gaze had an all too different effect as well.

Sure she was somewhat embarrassed being found passed out in the middle of nowhere, mostly because it was her own fucking fault - Lucy had a feeling the slayer now holding her close to his side would not be amused when he found out that fact -, but she was also filled with feelings of warmth, belonging and home – the only things she'd ever really longed for her entire life. It was the exact look her mother gave her when she'd been naughty as a child and gotten caught.

Sighing into his welcoming arms she allowed herself to cry for the first time in months, not in self-pity or despair, but in relief at finally finding a home again, a place to belong. Hopefully this time with a Lucy she could truly be proud of it would last…

It took the better part of the night and a few glasses of water for Lucy to tell Laxus everything starting with the battle of Tartarus since he and his team had been unconscious and close to death for most of it. And, for the first time ever she explained just how scared she's been when all of her guild mates, her family, had been absorbed into the cube leaving her alone to fight dozens of demons out for her blood. She spoke of opening three gates only to then have to sacrifice Aquarius so she could summon the Spirit King to protect her from the demons. How he then freed the rest of the guild before he was forced to return to the Spirit World because she'd exhausted the magic he'd given her minutes before. Lucy even spoke of her, what she could now admit was ridiculously stupid and dangerous, training she'd been doing and the very powerful spell that got his attention and almost killed her.

As expected there were times when Laxus had gotten growly in his anger or his grip on her tightened but he never interrupted her story, never reprimanded or judged her. He just held her quietly with a rumble low in his chest as she worked through it all. Lucy never imagined The Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail would be as physically affectionate as he was proving to be.

It was a relief to finally tell someone everything after so long trying to deal with it with only her spirits' help, to be able to lean on someone while she grieved losing one of her closest friends for good. Lucy never would have imagined that the person who would be there for her in the end would come in the form of the most powerful dragon slayer she knew but somehow it felt right.

By the time the sun rose over the mountains to the east signaling the start of the new day Lucy found herself in the older blonde's lap, arms wrapped protectively around her, head tucked under his chin as he leaned back against the headboard. She was completely emotionally drained but too happy at the moment to sleep.

"You're mine now Lucy, kin," he finally spoke breaking the comfortable silence arms tightening around her more securely. Something had changed for the older mage the day when he found Lucy beaten in that crater. It had happened before, instinctually, when he'd first met Freed, Bix and Ever all those years ago when they were all just kids, but now he knew what it was. His dragon recognized a kinship with Lucy, she was now his to protect.

Claiming kin was more often a logical choice dragons or slayers made when they became especially close to another person, something he learned after spending time with an actual dragon during his exile, but he'd also been told on occasion his dragon could and would make that decision for him. He didn't know why his dragon had reacted to Lucy like it had but the fierce need to protect her just like he had with the Thunder Legion was real. Since he'd also always wanted a sibling growing up as an only child it was a win win scenario. Laxus glanced down at the small body he was wrapped around, he finally had a little sister.

When he thought on it more it made sense. They both had asshole fathers that neglected them, abused them in their own special ways, and neither of their fathers could ever be make proud. While he had his gramps to support him his whole life Lucy had her spirits.

Fresh tears welled up in Lucy's eyes at his statement before she placed a small chaste kiss to the underside of Laxus' jaw, the only place her much smaller frame could reach, then finally fell asleep with the first real smile on her lips in months.

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Hello my lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed this start and didn't get too lost in the first time jump. Like I said in the announcement I cut the 7 year gap to only 6 months so those die hard FT fans obsessed with dates and years in comparison to what Mashima laid out (low key me) you'll notice the year difference.

I love hearing from you all so please comment, PM, fav and follow if you've enjoyed the story so far.

Much Love, Blas


	3. Day 1: Shatter

Day 1: Shatter

Year 783: July; Five Years Before Present

The soft sounds of an orchestra flitted through the swell of crickets as they played in the warm evening air blissfully unaware of the silent private auction of a young woman taking place less than 100 yards away. It was something Kaleb wished he was ignorant of especially since there wasn't anything he could do about it.

His father had been invited to this "birthday celebration" by an old friend and Arman had accepted on behalf of both of them to attend what turned out to be a "showing of the goods", at least that's what most of the eligible men here tonight thought, before official offers were written up.

Today the Heartfilia Heiress turned 16 which marked her legally an adult and old enough to be married in Fiore so every single Lord, Duke or otherwise high society equivalent between the ages of 16-40 had been invited from all over Ishgar to get their first glimpse of the young woman to see if they were interested in marrying the girl. To most here her lack of noble pedigree was more than compensated for in the family's fortune and direct connections they had to the Fioren crown.

Already a graduate of university, newly minted King of the Holy Order of Bosco and slated to become the Master of the mage guild White Sea, at 19 Kaleb was easily the youngest eligible bachelor here tonight and that made him sick; there was even one man here from Caelum looking for a second wife since his first could no longer bare him children.

It boggled the mindbending mage's mind how a supposedly loving father could auction off his only child like she was nothing more than an asset in his business. And what did that say about his daughter who willing went along with it when this kind of behavior? It was legal but it also was not a societal norm in Fiore. No matter how beautiful the rumors pervading the ballroom said the girl was, Kaleb already knew he wouldn't even consider tying himself to such a creature no matter how the whole situation twisted his heart. He couldn't bring himself to even look at the girl let alone meet her for fear of what he might do if he saw any sadness or loneliness she could be feeling. With his own future and happiness at risk he couldn't tempt fate for a beautiful bird in a gilded cage, at least not by marrying her.

The sound of glass shattering somewhere above brought the young man out of his silent musings as he looked around trying and find the source of the noise. Are the Heartfilia's being robbed right now?

A long dark braided rope with intermittent knots dropped from the balcony above tapping quietly against the carved rail where he was and curiously Kaleb watched as the first signs of a shadowed figure climbed down. Small feet clad in worn ankle boots, black tights stretching over shapely legs, a short ruffled skirt did its utmost to cover deliciously wide hips and a pert rounded ass, a pale bare waist that almost glowed in the moonlight cut so trim Kaleb was sure his thigh was bigger came next. The female eased down another foot and the young man had to control his breath as large perky breasts stretched against the dark ribbing of a cropped knitted top met his eyes. _Way more than a handful even for my large palms._

Kaleb waited quietly letting his eyes feast on the woman shimmying down from the balcony above until she was eye level idly letting her controlled thoughts and plans roll over him. _Well this is a surprise. Turns out the caged birds wings weren't clipped after all. Too bad she doesn't know of the last minute changes to the security tonight since Princess Hisui is attending tonight…,_ he thought. It wasn't even a question that he would help the girl escape but that didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun as well.

"I'm not the most experienced in these kinds of situations but isn't it the object to sneak into places like this not out?"

-LCL

Lucy pressed herself as far into the small alcove internally cursing her massive ass and or tits, she wasn't sure which were giving her more grief at the moment. Her breasts were pressed so tightly to the wall they physically hurt but even still she knew her ass wasn't quiet hidden in the space along the hall as a few intoxicated revelers that had escaped the ballroom on the ground floor laughed and swayed down her route of escape.

The jerks were cutting into the small window of opportunity she had to get out and away without being noticed with their crass perverted behavior. Her father should have known better than invite people like them into their home only… Lucy bit her lip to stop the thoughts in her head. She already knew her father wouldn't care whatever happened to her after the deal was cut and she was shipped away she really didn't need to dwell on it any more than she already had. This was exactly why she was running away right now.

 _I hope I have enough to get me to Minstrel or maybe even Bosco…that could be fun_ , she thought before cursing internally again for how sheltered she was. Educated within an inch or her life Lucy knew 6 languages outside of Common – the most widely spoken internationally used language that Fiore adopted as their national language ages ago –, had all the stars in the known universe mapped and memorized, could probably negotiate the hell out of purchasing a multi-billion jewel company if ever given half the chance only… none of that prepared her for the real world.

How much should rent cost for a modest apartment? Train tickets? Ticket to board a ship? What kind of paperwork was needed to travel outside of Fiore? She had no clue and up to this point had no way of finding out given the restrictions her father setup shortly after her mother died. It's not like realtors or train stations were open in the middle of the night and consequentially the only time she'd been able to leave the estate to explore and train on her own. Lucy considered herself lucky she at least knew how to cook thank to their personal chef. He did his best to teach her about what plants were edible, how to tell when produce was ripe enough to eat, when meat or fish was turning bad, plus the actual cooking lessons so she wasn't completely clueless if she needed to live off the land. Fortunately her father saw the lessons as harmless and potentially beneficial toward marrying her off because "some wealthy men would enjoy their wife cooking and catering to them." Blegh!

As the sounds of the small group finally passed Lucy peeled herself off the wall and scurried silently over the marble floor grateful that at least something of her heiress education was useful. Maybe she could become a famous international cat burglar in her new life? She already knew what would be the best things to steal from the incredibly rich, how to spot a fake from 20 feet away – ok maybe not 20 feet away –, and better yet how the staff in large homes functioned. She could even use her real name and status as nouveau riche to scope a place out during parties or dinners before silently stalking the halls at night when all the lights went out then make off with the goodies only to disappear like a ghost…

A sudden crash had Lucy frozen, bent over where she was, unmoving, listening intently to see if anyone else had heard. When no sound was forthcoming from someone coming to investigate she exhaled relieved. _Ok maybe cat burglary is not a viable career option_ , Lucy thought disconcerted as she eyed the edge of her rope that had caught on the leg of a table. It hadn't been not enough to topple the piece of furniture but the jarring movement must have set the Ming Vase, now nothing more than pretty bits of glazed ceramic, off balance and onto the floor.

 _You have 2 minutes to start your climb_ , a male's voice chimed in her head as she ran her finger over a charm on her bracelet.

Not wasting anymore time Lucy tied off her handcrafted rope – ie shredded silk sheets she braided together to make a rope long and strong enough for her climb – to the stone rail. One final quick swipe of the clock constellation key charm on her bracelet and it was time to climb.

 _It's now or never Lucy. This is the moment you've been training for_ , she thought before slowly easing down one knot at a time. _One floor down 2 more to go._

"I'm not the most experienced in these kinds of situations but isn't it the object to sneak into places like this not out?" a smooth male voice broke through the quiet of the evening.

Lucy froze beyond shocked. _I got caught? I'm not supposed to get caught! I timed this perfectly just like how they did in one of my novels. This can't be happening!_ Her sweaty palms slipped on her rope and no amount of adrenalin already running high through her body could stop her inevitable fall as her boot slipped of the knot when he weight shifted.

 _Scratch that, of course this would happen to me,_ she thought in a blind panic as she tried to once again find a grip on the silken sheets to stop her uncontrolled decent. _This is the last time I use an idea I got from a movie._

Kaleb couldn't hide his smirk at the young lady's thoughts, easily catching her securely in his arms. She felt even better than she looked nicely pressed against his chest her arms instinctively looping around his neck.

Fortunately for Lucy her shock and panic was quickly pushed aside with the relief of not falling to her death but soon the frustration of missing her only feasible exit window, as Horologium had so kindly took it upon himself to inform her, flooded her body. Her father was likely to up the protection detail on her when he found out what she'd been attempting to do.

"Yeah well there's nothing in there of any real worth, to me at least," she muttered with more than a hint of petulance in her tone. "If you let me go and forget all about seeing me I'll give you half of all the jewel I have on me," Lucy offered not even trying to fight this guy off. She knew a lost cause when she saw one; this guy was massive, tall like her father but built and thick like a tree. Rock hard muscles covered every inch she could see or feel. _Jeez his pecks might be as big as my boobs,_ the humorous thought made her want to giggle but she restrained the desire. _Will he help? He's not one of Father's men so it's likely he's here to protect someone still at the party. I'm obviously no threat to his job and he not holding me painfully or trying to cop a feel like a pervert…_ Lucy actually felt more like she was being hugged, cherished and loved in his arms. It was oddly nostalgic.

It had been years since someone had looked at her like this; kind, without pity. _Maybe he will help?_ Lucy knew if she could just keep her father from finding out what happened tonight she could find another time to make her escape before it was too late.

"Oh there's no need to bribe me. I'm one or your guests." He chuckled knowing that statement would hardly put the girl at ease given the circumstances as he moved them both to a secluded corner of the balcony without setting her down.

 _He's one of the enemy! Or at least my enemy's ally._ Lucy tried, she really did, to feel threatened. Given her position she really should be. She was alone, at night, with a man who had planned on placing a bit on her like she was a horse at auction, with no hope of escaping but… he smelled like warm apple pie and his pale lavender eyes were filled with compassion and maybe a little humor…

"Who are you?" she whispered when the stranger finally set her down.

His finger on her lips kept her quiet so she heard the sound of gravel crunching below. _They're early? What? Why?_

 _Two of Princess Hisui's guards joined the rotation to help secure the perimeter tonight but if you listen to me I can help you get beyond it without getting caught._

Lucy hadn't expected to get an answer to her thoughts let alone one spoken in her head. It was then she noticed the tattoo, a very special kind of tattoo that not only signified that this man was a mage, but a mage from the largest guild in Bosco if not Ishgar. The yellow sun over white waves set against a blue sky on the inside of his bicep had never been a more welcomed sight.

White Sea was famous but that didn't matter to Lucy. What had tears brimming her eyes was the moral standard the guild was known for and sincerity in his offer. She knew, his being from Bosco, tonight probably chaffed his sense of decency so the way he freely suggested to help her escape asking for nothing in return... she could trust. It was an offer she couldn't refused.

This wasn't the first time Lucy had planned on running away. A year ago she'd run from the estate but after only 2 days of freedom goons her father hired dragged her back home but she'd learned her lesson. Over the year since Lucy'd been saving every jewel she could get her hands on whether it was her monthly allowance or selling the expensive gifts she'd received from her father's business partners, to buy a new identity and bribe the right people to keep her under the radar. The best thing she'd done was befriend one of her guards who already hated her father and convince him to help her take short excursions away from the house so she could train her magic better without being caught. Thanks to her mother's gift when Lucy was nine, her gate keys were kept securely on a charmed bracelet that couldn't be forcibly removed from her wrist; her father had tried to do so for an entire year after her mom died.

Now she was ready. She didn't question or care what brought this man to her home tonight; if there was anyone she could trust here to help her escape he was it.

 _Ok, ready when you are._ Lucy adjusted her clothes and dried her palms ready to climb down the 2 remaining floors.

-LCL-

Kaleb made his way through the ballroom once again moving toward his father. _You should be clear. I can't sense anyone beyond this point until the small town about five miles down the road._

 _Got it and thank you Kaleb. For all your help and the com._ Kaleb could practically see Lucy worrying her bottom lip. _Like I said earlier, if you ever find yourself in need of a Celestial Spirit Summoner you know how to contact me._

 _And if your travels take you to White Sea we could always use good mages,_ he told her before closing the link to Lucy's mind smiling internally. She hadn't wanted to take his mobile com prototype but in the end she caved when he pointed out he wouldn't be able to call in his favor without some way of contacting her.

"Hmm, I know that look but it's usually coming from Vander or Bickslow. Tell me, what exactly should be preparing to deal with?" Arman spoke lips unmoving from the polite smile he typically used during political negotiations letting his magic carry his voice to his son's ears only.

 _Oh nothing much, just helping a bird take wing. You know, just what I have no doubt you'd had planned all along._ Kaleb played the past hour in his father's mind fairly certain his father had somehow engineered it all.

 _I have no idea what you're talking about._

 _You know that look you were talking about earlier? Maybe you should go look in a mirror. My only question is why?_

"Ah Princess Hisui, have you met my son Kaleb yet?" Arman redirected the conversation.

 _Talk about cruel and unusual punishment,_ he grumbled internally but acted the perfect gentleman on the outside.

 _It's what you get for not minding your own business,_ Ambassador Arman Pradesh reprimanded his son.

-LCL-

Year x788: April; Present

"You're pregnant?" Cobra said still stunned by the chaos ringing in the usually organized soul of one of his only friends.

Lucy nodded silently, tears falling down her cheeks, unable to speak past the frog in her throat choking her of air and the ability to speak. A quiet gasp drew her watery eyes up and she saw Bickslow's towering frame right behind his new mate.

Warm arms surrounded her in the next moment and she completely broke down burying her face in the wide expanse of Bickslow's chest while she felt Cobra press in behind her. She was only vaguely aware she was no longer outside as her words tumbled out of her mouth brokenly and not all together coherent.

"I...birth control…3 months…period…mission…Erza…impossible…"

Bickslow looked over the petite blonde into the indigo eye of his mate pleading for an explanation as he slowly moved their group to the sofa in the living room as Lucy's sobs hit again full force keeping her from being able to speak at all.

Settling on the deep purple couch Cobra signed as he sorted through all of Lucy's jumbled thoughts trying to piece everything he could hear together.

"From what I can tell Lucy missed her last period and the doctor called her on the way over here and told her she was 3 months pregnant." As Cobra started speaking Lucy's cries quieted enough for her to pull away from Bickslow to look him in the eye and nod her head as she continued wiping the tears streaming down her face. "Lucy was on that long mission with Hammerdina during the conception window he gave her. She hadn't had sex that whole time because, well Hammerdina so even if her periods since then weren't real it's physically not possible for her to be this far along unless…" Cobra's voice died in his throat then too as Lucy turned and buried herself in his chest arms tight around his shoulders. She was one of only three people he could stand being touched like this from and right now he was fucking glad because she was the only thing holding his shit together as pathetic as that was. Unconsciously Cobra reached out to the new fledgling bond to Bickslow with the very real need of emotional support.

Bickslow's crimson eyes were wide and pleading his mate to finish that sentence. Up until that moment he could feel Erik's concern and worry for their friend but now there was confusion, anxiety and fear too. Bickslow pushed all the comfort he could through their bond as he swept both incoherent and almost catatonic messes into his lap as he tried to piece everything together. Lucy had been trying to tell them something specific. She was pregnant but he knew there had to be more to it than that. Sure she hadn't planned it but she was in a healthy place and had decent savings plus he and Erik, plus the rest of the guild, were here for her so it wasn't the end of the world. What got him stuck was all the detail about timing. What did it matter when and how it happened? So the timing was weird…then it finally clicked in the seith mage's mind. "Oh Fuck!"

"I'm sorry!" Lucy wailed again in the first complete sentence she'd managed to get out since her GP had dropped the bomb on her earlier that day. She'd thought she was sick when she went in to visit him a couple days ago.

Bickslow only knew the bare minimum when it came to dragon slayer pregnancies, mostly what he'd picked up from Levy and Gajeel's experience, but he knew someone who could help sort everything out, probably get here soon if he wasn't currently on a job. Thanking every god listening and or potentially watching this shit play out when he saw his com within arms-reach on the end table, Bickslow grabbed it quickly having to make small adjustments with the two mages on his lap – Erik starring off into space, Lucy crumpled and teary then made his call.

Amused dark blue eyes speckled with silver came up on his display as a warm voice greeted him. "Well look who's managed to escape his mate finally. How long do we have until he's got your ass tracked down and tied up again?"

"How soon can you get here," Bix's response came out tight and weak. Any other day he'd be laughing it up and sending a jibe of his own back but he needed some serious fucking answers and help as soon as humanly possible.

All humor died as his brother's eyes narrowed. "Are either of you injured?" was the first question out of his mouth. Cristoff needed to know some very specific things before he could answer his brother's question.

"No injures but a seriously confusing and hella fucked up situation involving dragon slayer pregnancies and how the fuck it could happen when they both had taken a wafer contraceptive beforehand." Bickslow ran he free hand up Cobra's back when he involuntary whimpered. He fucking didn't blame him one bit either. They'd just joked about being thankful they didn't have to worry about either of them getting pregnant with all the sex their mating had been driving them to have before Lucy made it home; not that either of them were complaining about all the sex. The mating itself had been a bit of a surprise for the pair since Cobra had some serious misgivings about sex with men in general. Now Cobra was going to be a father? That surprise alone could bring the strongest of men to their knees.

Erik just had to be the father too since it was the only way Lucy could be as far along in her pregnancy as she was right now since dragon slayers gestation was half as long than normal humans. Problem was, he knew for a fact that they'd both taken the tried and true Boscan contraceptives before anything had happened so neither of them should have been fertile; he'd fed them the wafers himself right before thoroughly enjoying their experimentation into having a threesome.

Cristoff just blinked, stunned for a second trying to process the circumstances surrounding this situation. Bickslow's mating had come out of nowhere and the only reason their family even knew about it at all was because a woman had called the Boscan consulate to speak with their father. She'd not had any of the family's private numbers but said she was a friend of Bickslow's and was happy to announce his mating to Erik the poison dragon slayer known as Cobra of Fairy Tail. His older brother Farron had said their father literally whooped for joy right then and there in the office a huge grin across his face. Within minutes the whole family knew and plans were made so they all could visit Bix and his mate after the mating process was completed. In fact, right now, they were all on an airship an hour outside of Hargeon where they were going to take a train into Magnolia and wait until the mating was finalized to pop in on the couple.

"Be there soon," Cristoff said before cutting the call, moving toward the open deck and flashing away leaving behind 6 gob smacked siblings and one even more ecstatic father.

"A grandbaby already!" the normally calm and collected man cheered hearts dancing in his eyes. He fully expected to wait at least a year before he'd convinced the pair to find a surrogate so they could start having children. This was just like a blessing from heaven. _Thank you, Ganier, for such a wonderful gift,_ Arman thought in silent prayer to his long-since deceased wife.

"What the fuck just happened?" Vander, the youngest and probably most difficult of all the Pradesh family to surprise, said still trying to make the rest of his brain to function.

-LCL-

Year x786: January; Two Years Before Present

The room was peaceful, the quite of a lazy afternoon when Lucy awoke again. She was nestled warmly amongst the thick comforter and pillows instead of pressed close to the firm warm chest of the lightning slayer, not that she'd expected him to hold her while she slept. She was actually grateful the man had tucked her into the bed alone and sought his own comfort instead of staying there with her; it probably saved them both from having more aches and pains than necessary from sleeping in awkward positions for hours.

Musing over her change in fortune Lucy heard the ever so familiar rustle of a page turning in a book. She'd thought she was alone but she should have known Laxus would have made sure someone stayed to watch over her while she was recovering from her exhaustion. But who?

Peeking out of her fluffy cocoon her eyes first landed on a dark red coat. The color reminded Lucy of the burgundy red roses her mother loved caring for while she'd still been alive. It was folded neatly on the table near her bed and something about it was familiar. Another page turned and Lucy let her eyes travel in the direction of the faint sound.

Tall white boots met with black fitted pants and as her eyes travelled further up to the loose white blouse her breathe involuntarily hitched. It was Freed and in a state of undress! Her mind couldn't process what she was seeing. The rune mage was always impeccably dressed and while she'd heard rumors he chose to wear a speedo when swimming she'd never seen more of his skin than his face and hands…until now.

Several buttons had been undone exposing inches of his smooth flawless pale skin. It didn't matter that the once heiress had seen other men more exposed than this. Hell, her first day at Fairy Tail had included a completely naked Gray crashing into her then asking to borrow her underwear like he was asking to borrow a cup of sugar.

This, however, was different. That little peak of his forbidden flesh titillated her curious mind and inspired her imagination. She couldn't help trying to imagine what his skin tasted like. Did he have an intellectual's body or was he all lean trim muscles?

At the thought Lucy bit back her embarrassed squeak and hid under her covers again. She knew if she looked in a mirror her face would be bright red. Where that had even come from she couldn't account for. Ok, so maybe she could but still…How many times had she scolded perverts for undressing her with their eyes only to return the favor on the unsuspecting elegant man sitting not 5 feet from her bed?

Freed was a person with feelings and she highly doubted the graceful man would approve of her ogling his body. Calming herself with slow deep breathes Lucy cleared her mind of any remaining scandalous thoughts as she peaked out again.

As elegant as ever the man was draped comfortably in an arm chair she hadn't remembered being there the night before, book held up by one manicured hand, she watched as the long slim digits of his other delicately turned the next page.

"What are you reading?" The question left her parched lips as a rough whisper. She swallowed trying to wet her throat as a deep jade eye peered over the edge of his book. Lucy wanted nothing more in that moment than to run her hands through his smooth green locks so she could see his other eye that lay shrouded behind his long sweeping bangs.

Freed eyed the young woman intently. He'd been so caught up in the imagery of the author that he'd didn't catch what she asked. What he did hear was the scratchiness of her voice so he set his novel down and readied a glass of water from the nearby pitcher.

Helping her sit up so she could drink, he couldn't stop himself from imaging doing the things described in his text to the blonde before him now. He'd always found her alluring. Her sweet innocent nature contained in a body built for sin. Even as wrapped up in bandages as she was now with a noxious ointment spread over her skin to heal the sun damage did very little to put off the raging desire he kept tightly bound. If it hadn't been for Laxus' early interest in the woman before he'd had the chance to meet her, Freed would have probably made a move on her before now. Now though, Laxus made it obvious he saw the woman more as a sister and was no longer romantically interested…

Gods, how he loved powerful blondes, be they male or female. Although most thought celestial spirit mages were often weak and underestimated their power, he knew the amount of magic it took to breach the plains of the universe and call forth a celestial being. Other mages would weep if they truly understood the amount of power people like Lucy wielded with a flick of her wrist.

Like a moth to the flame the darkness in him craved her as well, longed to encompass her warmth and light, draw her from the heavens only to drive her back into them again and again through pure carnality.

A droplet of water innocently escaped her mouth as she quenched her thirst and he had to momentarily look away lest he be tempted to trace its path down her body with his tongue. Sinking back into her covers Lucy felt a shiver run down her spine that had nothing to do with her room's temperature and everything to do with the intense look pinning her in place.

"Would you like me to read to you?" His voice, like crushed velvet sliding over her skin, filled the barren room. Not trusting her voice to speak again Lucy nodded meekly and tucked herself more fully back into her blankets.

Eyes closed she let his voice shape the world around her. Lush colorful silks draped from the ceiling, palm fronds interspersed about the room providing much needed shade from the sun streaming through the open archways. It was hot. She felt the sweat drip from her naked flesh as she laid upon thick carpets and pillows. Music and laughter filled the air and she watched as people danced around tiny bells tinkling on their hips and ankles as they moved. The light breeze flitted over her bare skin chilling the beads of sweat leaving paths of raised flesh.

Lucy whimpered at the imagined feeling, unconsciously clenching her legs together in her attempt to relieve the funny feeling blooming in her abdomen. She could feel it again, his eyes on her seeing right into her soul no matter how many blankets hid her from view. Lucy didn't need to open her eyes to know the path Freed's gaze took, it was like a feather moving across her body, light but unmistakably there.

"Shall I continue?" He did make it sound like a question but something deep within her knew that was not really what he was saying.

"Yes," she still answered confused by the sensations wreaking havoc throughout her body but needing them all the more.

The story turned sensuously dark, bodies writhing in pleasure, sounds of moans heady like the scent of wine thick in the air.

Lucy'd read a few risqué novels before, borrowed from Levy of course, but none of them had given her so visceral a reaction. She could feel the weight of a body pressed over her, their mouth hot and wet against her breast. Her body shuttered as Freed's words wound the pressure tighter in her stomach.

She couldn't catch her breath, her heart was beating so fast thrumming in her ears. A loud guttural moan had her fisting the sheets under her and it was only the sound of a book snapping shut that made her realize that the illicit sound had come from _her_ mouth.

Her eyes shot open locking with acute jade boring into her very soul. He knew what he was doing to her and her breath hitched again as he approached her slowly like a jungle cat closes in on its prey ready to pounce if she dare look away. She couldn't move, a part of her didn't want to but trembled in anxious anticipation. What would he do to her now that she had his full attention?

The mattress dipped as Freed's larger body straddled her, close but not quite touching. One strong hand moved to bury in her hair as the back of his other stroked her cheek. His long emerald locks curtained around them blocking out the afternoon sun his lips ghosting across her jaw. He whispered something in her ear in a language she knew she should understand but didn't have the presence of mind to. Still it had her trembling as his lips brushed against her earlobe. The accent lilted and elongated vowels as if his voice teased the syllables themselves to writhe in pleasure under his skill.

Freed couldn't help it as the Boscan words flowed straight from his thoughts. Every little thing he'd ever imagined doing to her he described in explicit detail. How he wanted her on her knees in front of his reading chair at his house so he could fuck her mouth in front of a crackling fire. The countless times he'd wanted to bend her over the table in the guild library making her scream herself hoarse. Oh how he wanted to just sit next to her in the guild hall while she chatted with her friends amiably while trying to bite back the pleasure his fingers worked her into discreetly. It didn't matter if she didn't understand the words; his meaning was blindingly obvious.

The rune mage usually reserved seeking out pleasure conquests on his annual vacation to their northern neighbors given Fiore's stance of acceptable sexual behavior but Lucy's reactions to his reading fed the demon lurking inside. Even now he was barely restraining it from taking him over fully, left eye pulsing with magic.

He tugged her hair down firmly forcing the blonde's head back exposing her neck.

"Freed," she gasped out as the rune mage once again descended, this time to her collarbone.

He let his tongue trace across the exposed ridge circling the hollow at the base of her throat then blowing gently cooling the wet trail.

Lucy was just frozen, overwhelmed by all the new sensations. No amount of the written word or gossip from the girls at Fairy Tail could prepare her for experiencing it all for the first time. She was ashamed to say that Cana had been her first kiss but she'd been so drunk at the time she only vaguely remembered it. This, though, is how it should feel like and still the man above her had barely touched her, hadn't even kissed her lips. She could feel his heat so near but longed for the weight of him to close the gap and settle on her restless body, craved his soft lips to finally press over hers, hell, even for him to put any amount of pressure on her so she wasn't left half guessing where he was.

She was at a loss. In the stories she read the woman would be pulling her lover towards her already, hands slipping under their clothes just for the chance to feel their smooth skin against their own but Lucy just laid there, arms lax at her sides, head pulled back overwhelmed and confused but not wanting it to stop. She just didn't know how or where to start or even how to get her body to move.

Would he let her play with his hair? Unbutton his shirt further? She didn't want to do something that might lead to anything more because she wasn't sure if she was ready to go all the way just yet. It was all too knew, too much to take in all in one go especially with most of her skin covered in medication. The thought that she didn't even really know Freed all that well never once crossed her mind. It seemed almost insignificant after everything she'd lived through up to this point, like holding her future self as she died in her arms, facing dragons bent on her destruction or a demon with curse powers of explosion…

Why was she holding back again? She'd long since given up the belief that her virginity somehow gave her some innate worth. It was a stupid construct that patriarchal societies used to keep women obedient and willing to put up with their disgusting selfish asses. Hiding away from what she craved wasn't living. Life and happiness were fragile things that could be lost if you didn't reach out and grab it with both hands.

"Does the celestial maiden wish to learn of the carnality of the fallen?" Freed's dulcet voice questioned, lips so close to Lucy's they brushed hers as he spoke.

"Please," she answered without hesitation on an exhale. It was compulsive - conclusive. She craved Freed's attentions and made her decision. Freed would help her break off the last restraints from her old life of denial and repression, a half-life dictated by other people who meant nothing to her. She'd spent years letting them define what appropriate behavior was even after running away. Even her clothing choices weren't really what she preferred. She wore them because she knew her father wouldn't have approved. Her old teammates rarely listened to her and she just took it. With that single word Lucy was taking the first step into just being her, not Lucky Lucy Heartfilia, not Lucy of Fairy Tail. Just Lucy, a girl who refused to be walked over, held back or lonely ever again.

It was like a weight lifted from her chest and she could finally take in the oxygen denied her all her life. Her magic rose to her skin glowing faintly as she finally move her hands into his hair; thick and smooth like silk.

That's when she saw it. For a brief moment she saw his left eye black and flaring violet in the center before all she knew was the feeling of his lips pressed securely over her own. Slowly he coaxed her into movement, teaching her, letting her experience everything with patience, finding out what _she_ liked. Time didn't matter. The celestial spirit mage didn't care if they kissed like that for 5 minutes or hours, she would take whatever he offered and smile gratefully for the experience when he left.

Pulling away slowly, Freed eased back to let the woman in his arms calm before he disengaged fully. It was obvious to him she had much to learn and he would take great pleasure and time making sure Lucy was accomplished in each aspect of pleasure before moving to the next step.

"Rest now, I will bring you sustenance later in the evening. You'll need to be more recovered for what I have planned." His smirk was kind and full of all the dark promises that lurked beneath the surface.

Lucy watched, a small smile gracing her lips snuggling into her comforter again feeling inexplicably chilled with the rune mage's absence. She watched Freed efficiently dress and fix his appearance meticulously. She'd always been a good student and a bit of a perfectionist when it came to the things that mattered. A better lover to lead her through this new horizon she could not have picked. It was because of him Lucy finally felt freed.

-LCL-

Year x786: February One Month Later; Two Years Before Present

Laxus sat back at the bar nursing his drink as he took in Blue Pegasus' own brand of crazy. Clients were led to and from booths to meet with potential clients where they were instantly fawned over. Other mages that weren't engaged milled about speaking and joking with each other and in the center of one such group of attentive males was Lucy, smiling and chatting gaily. The lightening slayer had to admit, this place was different but definitely not as bad as he first thought…ok maybe having Lucy chat with his potential clients for him allowed for him to see past his irritation with the system.

The whole setup just fostered teamwork better among all their mages more so than Fairy Tail had done. Hibiki's archive program did a lot to break down barriers and help his guild mates actually work together and build on each other's strengths even if it wasn't anything compared to White Sea's management system.

Master Bob had such a different way of running a guild and nurturing his members that Laxus appreciated enough he was going to try and emulate it at least a little once he'd earned enough to rebuild Fairy Tail. Then, he'd be the master and use many of the leadership traits from Bob to bring new life to Fairy Tail where their mages actually became responsible adults.

Blue Pegasus' master actually sent the young orphaned mages that crossed his door to school paying for their living expenses and tuition so they could interact with people their own age as well as study their magic. It was an investment Master Bob made into that child's future and it honestly ensured their greater success in the future.

That was something he was definitely going to do but first and foremost he would have the management system Kaleb Pradesh, White Sea's Guild Master and an ingenious mindbending mage, had invented in their hall. It was able to handle and track all job requests, clients, and their members' ranking and training schedules. The system, though, didn't come cheap and it was the only reason why he hadn't dragged his team and Lucy back to Fiore to rebuild yet.

Laxus had seen the system work first hand and met Kaleb briefly while he stayed with Bickslow's family in Pelerno when he was exiled from Fairy Tail and was just awed by everything the system did.

Each member was given their own handheld lacrima com that synced with the main system at the home guild hall in White Sea through their individual magic signatures and their guild seal for security. It could be used to look up and reserve jobs while away from any of the guild halls there in Bosco as well as acted as a standard communication lacrima so their members were always only a call away. They also had geo locators embedded in them so if a member went missing the guild had information on where they were last in order to better find their missing member.

Then, there was a training system that tested, ranked and established a training schedule based off of the individual's needs and the wants of the mage. The whole thing was going to be integrated into a massive underground training yard making full use of the natural caves and tunnels underneath Magnolia. It was going to take a shit tone of wards and runes to make sure crazy people like Gildarts and Natsu could be contained there safely so the city remained undamaged but to Laxus that was well worth the time and additional expense.

Finally, based off of a mage's rank, of which there were several below that of S-class, and the wizard's unique strengths, the request system would offer a selection of jobs to the mage it was confident they could complete on their own. If they wanted to take a more difficult and better paying job the system would offer up suggestions of other members they could take with them for the greatest chance of success. If he could work Cana's card magic into it too?...

The best part of the system was that the majority of paperwork was filled out, filed and tracked automatically only requiring the Guild Master or an established Lieutenant to sign off on before it would send them completed to the Magic Council for their records.

All he would have to do was enter in the daily job requests leaving him much more time to handle problems that came up during the day to day and to oversee the growth and happiness of his members.

Laxus already had 20 billion of jewel for the system saved up thanks to years of solo S-class work and Bix, Freed and Ever's large contributions but he wanted a bit more to make some adjustments he wanted plus having enough to rebuild the actual hall so it wasn't so easily demolished in the future. He figured by April this year he should have enough saved to pay for it all and then he could start rebuilding his home.

Hopefully by then Lucy would be more emotionally recovered and stable enough that going back to Magnolia wouldn't be too painful for here or the rest of his team. His team had felt more than a little put out that Fairy Tail just let Gramps disband while they could do nothing about it unconscious and recovering at the hospital.

Ever had been really helpful with Lucy, in her element dragging the blonde to go shopping and have girl talk with. Bix's humor and pranks endeared him to Lucy quickly and kept a smile on his little kin's face while she played with his babies. But the biggest difference Laxus could see was in Lucy's growth as a person and Freed's more comfortable and less obsessive attentions. Yes, he knew what they were doing, indulging in each other through sex, but it was really bringing both of their true personalities out and how was that a bad thing?

Freed, usually too serious until random outbursts of fanaticism when it came to him. had finally relaxed into just being his intelligent self with a dark wit that both Lucy and surprisingly Hibiki both enjoyed.

Lucy was happy, open and caring again but this time she had real confidence in her abilities and her body. He couldn't count the amount of times he'd smelt Freed and even Loke on her body and at first he'd been tense waiting for the protective rage to take over when he'd smelt them and sex on Lucy but it never came. It took a concerned phone call to Cristoff, a fellow dragon slayer, to find out why.

Cristoff, unlike him, had been raised by Nurem, the Lunar Dragon queen, for significantly longer than any of the other slayers Laxus knew so his insight into slayer instincts and mindsets was invaluable. It had been mostly Cristoff's influence and meeting Nurem that had helped him get his head straightened out after Fantasia and the man had laughed right to his face on that call.

" _Laxus, you've seen Emzadi! Female dragons are meant to get around a whole hell of a lot until they take a mate. With only 1 female for every 10 males it wouldn't make sense for them not to." Laxus could see the other slayer's eyes sparkle with mirth but to him this wasn't funny._

" _She's not a dragon slayer though and Freed's my best friend," he justified why he should find it all weird but didn't, why he wanted to feel mad instead of fucking content and_ happy. _Freed was boning his little sister, God damn it! Not to mention the playboy lion spirit but he was not going to go there._

" _But you are. That dragon soul in you doesn't care that she's not actually a dragon or slayer man because it is and you are. She's you kin so by extension the behavior fits what it expects from its family. You'll only ever get pissed off if this girl's not happy with what happened or gets hurt. The fact that she's exploring her body and sexuality with someone you trust so much is why you're happy. She's safe and happy and that's all that matters."_

 _Laxus huffed but could help the corner of his lip from tugging up. It was true. Lucy was blooming under his team's attentions and her inner light was finally starting to banish the lingering darkness her previous team's abandonment had caused._

" _Now, when do I get to meet her?" the bright smile on the handsome man on his lacrima screen just screamed mischief._

" _Never," Laxus crossed his arms and scowled. Lucy would have Cristoff wrapped around her little finger faster than anyone could blink like she did with everyone else without even trying and the Lunar slayer was just so much more openly affectionate than he was Laxus was sure Lucy would latch onto him instead and that was unacceptable. His dragon was a greedy bastard and didn't want to share anymore of Lucy's cuddles than he could help. There was already Bix – though he was surprised his Boscan friend hadn't made a play for her yet -, Freed and Loke he had to contend with. Like hell he was going to willingly add another in the mix._

" _Come on we're kin. I should at least know the name of my kin's kin."_

 _There is was again. That calculating look and in an instant Laxus knew if he gave him even her name the bastard would find a way to "accidentally" run into her. No fucking way._

" _Sorry, can't help you," he said with a shrug to his now laughing friend then hung up._

Lucy still had some trauma she was working through, the occasional nightmares that had her crawling into his bed so he could keep the demons away, but those were even happening less frequently and the lightening slayer had a feeling that Bickslow was probably working his voodoo magic on the blonde subtly healing her soul quicker than what time alone would do.

Yes, his little tatsu was getting stronger and happier and all his plans were coming together so well.

-End of Chapter-


	4. Day 2: Lick

Hello, welcome to day 2. A little early but I anticipate a very long hard day at work tomorrow so I'm posting this mega chapter now. Thank you for the comments, favorites and follows. You guys are the fuel to my muse!

* * *

Day 2: Lick

Year x787: May; One Year Before Present

"Wait, you want me to what?"

"This coming from the woman who was part of taking down The Oración Seis and Grimoire Heart before facing down Arcnologia and surviving? Then there was Tartarus…"

"First off, how did you know about any of that? The media coverage never named any names."

Kaleb just smiled widely with that 'I know something you don't know' look in his eyes.

"Actually, now that I think about it, with your magic you probably got it directly from the Magic Council and erased the memories of you even being there or something equally as insufferable." Lucy sighed when his expression didn't change at all. "Fine don't tell me but for my second point please note that the Seis was sanctioned, Grimoire started it we were just defending ourselves, I lost 6 months of my life because of the Fairy Sphere spell, and once again Tartarus started it and I lost a lot because of them."

"I think you have to admit that's preferable over death."

"Kaleb, you're missing the point. What you're asking me to do is illegal. If I'm caught I'll be lucky if I'm executed," she said clutching the old com she had never used but always carried just in case he found he needed her help. This just wasn't the kind of request she'd imagined it would be.

She watched as the cheerful teasing expression suddenly melted into tormented pain right before her eyes. His eyes clouded and dull, the dark circles under them now visible. The look was all wrong and had no business being on the face of the beautiful man who helped her get away from her father. He was supposed to be confident and flirty damn it! What happened to him in the last 4 years?

"Lucy, if there was anyone else I could ask…

"Hey, stop that right now. I'm going to do it even had I not already promised to I would. The only reason I have the life I do is because of you. Can you…are you able to tell me why?"

"Are you in a secure location?" he asked, some of the light back in his eyes as his hope renewed.

"If you call alone in a cave 20 miles from any sort of civilization secure then yes," Lucy commented still not thrilled how her job was going. She'd been surprised when the request system flagged her and only her for a monster hunting job, not at all her usual adventure, but since Cana had successfully integrated the fortune portion of her card magic into it 8 months ago everyone stopped questioning the why. Each seemingly unusual request ended up being in some way perfect for the mage it selected.

Lucy's mind flashed to the baby sitting request Gildarts had been flagged for and after much persuasion from Cana he finally took it. Turns out the 8 year old boy he needed to watch? His son he didn't even know existed. The poor boy needed some serious help with his magic because Fiore pretty much left the mages born within their borders to fend for themselves and his mother couldn't afford to send him to Minstrel to study. When Cana found out? Yeah…it was bad and then the best thing ever for everyone involved. Cana adored her little brother.

So Lucy made sure she brought warm clothes and her trusty flint just in case and headed out to Autumn City, a beautiful city nestled amongst the mountains along the Bosco Fiore border, without batting an eye. Interesting fact about Autumn City is that it is one of two places in the whole of Fiore that prostitution is legal and the only city where gambling is legal. Needless to say, Lucy had taken it as a sign that she deserved a nice little vacation after she'd hunted down whatever beastie was troubling the town.

That beastie turned out to be a particularly virile Vulcan that had taken-over Chimera's, a very popular Boscan run resort, manager then fled to the surrounding mountains after the Rune Knights botched capturing him. Thus, enter Lucy looking all adorable, perfect Vulcan bait, ready to kick its ass until all that was left was the manager in question.

"Acceptable," he said with a straight face that made Lucy want to throttle him. She was starting to suspect Cana's magic might have led here for other reasons than a pleasure holiday as she watched Kaleb's expression turn dark and serious again.

"Lucy, I can't go into too many details but are you familiar with what a Bloodhunter is?"

All the blood ran from Lucy's face and a chill ran up her spin. All she could do was nod. Bloodhunters were supposed to be Bosco's version of Fiore's Garou Knights only much much worse. They were said to be spies and assassins the Steel Council used as their own private play things to eliminate things or people who got in their way.

"Trust me when I tell you, you don't know the half of it but what's important for you to know is I don't think they're serving willingly. I keep coming across one name consistently in all my investigations and it's his files I need your help securing copies of."

"So you think this Grendance person is taking advantage of free Boscan citizens? Why don't you pick his brain?"

Kaleb pinched the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure if he was happy she knew to ask these questions or not. "Lucy I tried but every council member wears a protection lacrima to guard against just that so spies and mages from other countries can't influence them. I could break through the wards but then-"

"They know you're on to them."

"Exactly."

"Do the lacrimas only protect against telepathic magics or magic in general?"

"There are some protections to influencing type magic included in them too. It seems to be all focused on protecting the mind and body from being controlled."

"That's good for me then."

"I can see it in your eyes, you have a plan."

"I do and I think it is better we don't contact each after this until everything has settled. If these people are as dangerous as you say they won't wait for proof to act especially if they are trying to save their own asses."

"Ok but Lucy?" Kaleb didn't like this but every other person he could trust was logged in the military database with their magic signatures indexed.

"Yeah?"

"Be safe and if you find yourself in too deep… run. I'll send someone to find you and help you from there, ok?"

-LCL-

Lucy looked out the window of the pleasure cruise airship from her cabin. Looked like Cana's magic struck true again. It turns out the kidnapped manager she rescued? Yet, turns out he was the son of some big shot bathhouse and hotel owner in Bosco and his parents had been so thankful they got their son back they included 2 roundtrip tickets to Bosco's capitol, a voucher for up to a 2 week stay in one of their luxury suits at any of their hotels and what seemed to be as many complementary services as they could tack on. Fuck if it wasn't the perfect cover for why she was in Pelerno, the timing even fit.

The hardest part of it all had been finding someone to join her on her spontaneous vacation no questions asked that Lucy knew would be certain would stay out all night every night.

"Baby Girl why are you just sitting there? We're on a Boscan _Pleasure_ Cruise! What part of that do you not understand?" Cana plopped down on the couch wearing a brand new harem looking ensemble that was apparently a traditional woman's fashion for Bosco, freshly opened bottle of beer in hand.

"You act as if I didn't just get back from the most amazing massage I've ever had. I'm allowed to veg for at least the next hour or so."

"Please, don't act like that bath attendant wore you out. He had a nice ass but he was no shadow dragon slayer or the mysterious Mr. from your time in Cellis."

"If it has just been sex I'd say you have a point but I swear to you, his hands…" Lucy sighed exaggeratingly. "I feel all loose and melty."

"Fucking Mavis I knew this trip with you was too good to be true. Baby Girl I'm telling you now, if you can't keep up I'm leaving your ass at the hotel," the card mage said before rolling off the couch to grab another drink.

 _Yep, it seems like fate is definitely on my side in this,_ Lucy thought before easing into a mid-afternoon nap. She had another 2 days to enjoy herself worry free before she was on this super secrete spy mission and like hell she was going to waste it. She'd always been good at mulit-tasking.

-LCL-

It was official, he was bored. Whatever Steel Council Member thought he'd be the perfect spy assassin had obviously only considered what he could do with his magic without considering his personality. Spending hours in shadowed corners alone collecting intel or waiting in silence for the perfect moment to "cause a fatal accident" was not Vander's first choice in how he wanted to spend his time but it's not like he had a choice. If he didn't do as ordered he knew whichever Council Member was pulling his strings would just order another Bloodhunter to torture or kill someone in his family with the threat that if they didn't it would happen to someone they loved.

The cycle was vicious and the only reason he was spending his precious free time lurking around waiting for Grendance, his Council Member handler, to show up was to find out where the bastard kept all his incriminating documents. He'd already done a sweep of the area but the wards were layered so thick Vander had not been able to do a thorough search without the potential of triggering an alarm. Fucking bastard probably setup his personal security with him specifically in mind. That shit was even more incriminating then leveling "thinly veiled warnings" in his book.

Vander flipped a dagger in his hands trying to pass the time.

Waiting sucks. You know what sucks more than waiting? Waiting when you had a migraine because you can't fucking sleep because shades from the fucking voids keep throwing themselves at your soul like a fucking battering ram trying to get into your fucking world because the living world looks like a fucking all you can eat smorgasbord to those shits. That's what sucks even more than waiting but Vander had little choice, Bickslow's healing was holding less and less andtThings were only going to get worse for him if he didn't stop tearing his soul to shit because some dumbass bureaucrat wanted their nephew married to an equally as fucktastic moron's daughter.

That shit was not worth dying for, it wasn't even worth getting out of bed for let alone shortening the time until judgement day came for him. Vander swore if he was going down he was going to take as many of the Steel Council Members with him as possible just to be sure he got all the shady ones.

"I wanna, lick you from yo' head to yo' toes and I wanna, move from the bed down to the down to the to the flo'. Then I wanna, ah ah, you make it so good I don't wanna leave but I gotta, let-let-let know what-what's your fantasy."

Vander stopped breathing, he stopped thinking he stopped every fucking thing he could because he could not believe what he was hearing. It sounded like bad karaoke performed by his drunken handler but he was fairly certain Grendance had never ever heard that song let alone knew all the lyrics.

"I wanna get you in the Georgia Dome on the fifty yard line while the Dirty Birds kick for t'ree and if you like in the club we can do it in the DJ booth or in the back of the V.I.P. Whipped cream with cherries and strawberries on top, lick it don't stop. Keep the door locked don't knock while the boat rock we go-bots and robots so they gotta wait 'til the show stop," the man continued to rap.

Wide-eyed Vander watched as sure enough, his boss gyrated his way across the room rapping complete shit he wouldn't have known what he was trying to sing had he not known those lyrics so well. It was like car accident, he couldn't look away no matter how his eyes burned at the sight or his chest hurt from lack of air. The shadowquip mage was kind of grateful for his inability to breathe right now because if he could? There would be no way he wouldn't hit the floor laughing hard and getting caught. It would almost be worth it.

 _Oh fuck is he twerking? Where's my camera?_ Vander thought, hand frantically digging into his void pocket where he kept all of his tech and extra supplies. Finding the pea sized recording device Vander pointed and turned it on. _So fucking priceless!_

"Oh for the love of- Cricket please stop! The man is tone deaf and has no rhythm." Vander heard before a small shower of sparkles revealed a slim man in a well-tailored dark green suit, perfectly coiffed auburn hair and the most intense pure blue eyes he had ever seen.

"What this doesn't do it for you?" Grendance giggled. Grendance fucking giggled then proceeded to start grinding his ass on the... well… horrified man behind him.

"Gods no woman," the man said smacking the other's ass.

"Oh mommy likes," Grendance purred.

Vander was fairly certain by now that this was not, in fact, his prick of a boss but he kept recording. This footage would make excellent fodder once he got the man imprisoned for all the shady evil shit he was bound to be up to.

"If 'mommy' wants anymore she'll finish things up here sooner rather than later."

"Spoil sport." The older, slightly overweight, council member pouted but he did it while he moved towards the desk and did something underneath the lip of an edge. "This is supposed to be my vacation too. I should be allowed some fun since I had to walk around looking like this," he huffed amongst before another cloud of sparkles blocked Vander's view.

That's when Vander smirked eyes feasting on the ample cleavage, sensuous curves and long blonde hair. The dance moves had been decidedly feminine, even how he'd been speaking fit this version of the mage much better as she hip bumped the desk to the side not so much as stumbling rocking some serious heels.

 _I am totally going to find her later,_ he thought slipping his camera back into the voids trying to decide if he should come out now or confront her after he'd gotten a piece of that ass.

"Tell me you have-"

"The mail containers and a drugged unconscious Grendance ready and waiting?" the man snapped his fingers and stacks of pre-labeled boxes appeared along with a lump of alcohol reeking flesh on the floor.

"Stars how much did Gemini get the man to drink, was wasn't that intoxicated when I left?" the blonde's nose scrunched in disgust.

"Not much more after you swapped out with him I think Gemini dosed him when he passed out. That was seamless by the way though I think Leo's going to be having nightmares because of your little performance just now."

"Come on, help me box this shit up so we can catch the last mail drop today and with any luck King Altiene will have it all bright an early tomorrow morning." Lucy snorted getting down on her knees to box up every last file in the spatial pocket their target had built under his desk.

"You have got to be kidding. It's filthy down there and I just got a manicure. Call Virgo, she'd happily get on her knees for you."

"Fine, she'll need to clean up the magic trails anyway," Lucy grumbled. The sooner she could setup the scene for him to wake up to in the morning, the sooner Apus could send her happy little ass back to the bar to swap back with Gemini.

-LCL-

Vander sometimes forgot just how lucky of a bastard he was. He'd been all prepared to turn all his specific set of skills loose on the council while trying to simultaneously keep his family safe when this beauty came out of nowhere and took care of it all for him.

The best part? The blonde was making it so all trails led right back to Grendance leaving all the corrupt assholes on the Council to chase their tails in impotent rage. It made the tired shadowquip mage feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

Now all he had left to do was find the woman again, seduce her and give her memories that'll be making her blush in her eighties. He'd stayed and watched as the small group cleared out the place, made digital copies, mailed it all out without so much as a hiccup. It was like the blonde knew every little thing about Grendance's setup. He even stayed until after the maid looking on finished cleaning up then poofed away, only her almost unnoticeable trail remained.

Vander opened up a small void sucking in the final remains and left to give chase.

 _She said she was on vacation. Honestly how hard will it be to find a smokin' hot blonde with legs that go on for miles bar hoppin' in a city where the predominant hair colors are all dark?_ Vander chuckled. It was like taking candy from a baby.

-LCL-

Lucy met Gemini in the bathroom stall and was a little more than shocked at her spirit's appearance. Thinking back over the years, though, she really shouldn't be. Gemini had, within minutes of copying her for the first time, flashed her breasts right at Hibiki and Sagitarius, so was she really surprised a drunk Gemi-Lucy had lost her/their shirt completely? Or that she/they had smeared lipstick various places besides her/their mouth(s)?

"Looks like I've been missing a hell of a party," she murmured rumpling her clothing and losing her shirt. "Now how do you expect me to get lipstick there?" Lucy flushed. It was a lot more embarrassing seeing herself this way completely sober.

"Just leave that up to us. Piri Piri!" Gemi-Lucy cheered pinning their master in the corner of the stall, head dipping low.

"What? No!" Lucy cried in horror. "No! You keep my lips away from me! Ack, stop! This is fucking weird. Eeeeeeek!"

-LCL-

 _She either works fast as fuck or is a complete lightweight,_ Vander appraised watching an incredibly mussed blonde stumble onto the stage from his strategic spot at the bar. She'd been just as easy to track down as he'd suspected but he hadn't anticipated to find her here. This was a local, hole-in-the-wall kind of bar known for its quality liquor, attractive staff and amazing live entertainment most nights; tonight was not one of those nights and judging by what he saw from this woman earlier tonight this was going to be more of a crime than leaving the stage empty.

Vander started calculating how quickly he'd be able to step in during her performance to save everyone's ears. She was a tantalizingly beautiful accomplished mage, she really should stick to what she was good at.

"Hi everyone!" the flushed blonde cheered holding onto the mic stand for support as welcoming cheers greeted her back. "Who wants to hear a song?" The patrons of the usually calm establishment went crazy most likely under the influence of her and the sexy brunette pausing in drinking an entire barrel of wine to shout, "Get you some Baby Girl!"

Bright eyes and a brilliant smile lit up the place as this mysterious woman got the stage ready with the electronic keyboard, mic and looping pedal all setup not looking nearly as drunk as she had moments before.

Lucy sat down on at the piano bench running her fingers over the keys familiarizing herself with the available electronic beats, warming up her fingers and the crowd. Her father would be horrified to know what all those music lessons she had as a child were being used for, not that Lyra wouldn't have taught her even without his consent. Plus, this gave the blonde a break from drinking and an excuse for "sobering up" a little bit while still keeping her mind blissfully distracted until the residual mind imprint from Grendance faded away.

That man was dark, kidnapping and killing the loved ones of any Bloodhunter that tried to retire before he was done with them, threatening to do the same when they were still impressionable young kids. He was well protected, too, by Bosco's Crown Princess Kurino since the twisted bitch was in the thick of it with him. Lucy had to send all those files directly to the king and digital copies to a couple of highly ranked generals Grendance was afraid of to ensure something was done and fast. She even had Apus send a list to General Minda Fashen of everyone they would need to secure in hopes to stop those Bloodhunters from having to choose between their loved ones or their country.

Shaking her mind clear letting everything she'd learn fade away again Lucy settled into the beat, pressed record then watched the building crowd from under her bangs a smile teasing her lips. It seemed Lick by Joi was going to be perfect judging by the intensity of their looks.

 _I lose all control  
When you grab a hold  
And you do your trick  
I love it when you… lick_

Lucy let her voice flow internally relieved that she no longer sounded like a dying hyena.

 _Lick_

 _You've got lock and key  
Every part of me  
Know what makes me tick  
I love it when you… lick_

 _Lick_

Vander was pleasantly surprised and let his tongue glide across his lips, eyes locked on the blonde. He'd never heard this song before and given how seductive and sultry it sounded Vander made the mental note to learn it.

 _I'll put my heels on for you baby  
The ones that wrap all around my leg  
Your every touch excites me  
And damnit I ain't too proud to beg  
And even when you're not around me  
The tingling just won't go away  
Don't make my body wait no longer  
Because this pussycat's ready to play play play play play_

Lucy smirked seeing Cana start dancing with the two men she'd been favoring all night.

 _I lose all control  
When you grab a hold  
And you do your trick  
I love it when you… lick_

 _Lick_

 _You've got lock and key  
Every part of me  
Know what makes me tick  
I love it when you… lick_

 _Love it when you lick  
_

 _Lick  
_

The crowd started singing along to the simple chorus, drinks forgotten, their thirst turning in a different direction, bodies pressing into each other.

 _It feels so good I'm going crazy  
My eyes roll back inside my head  
Explore my inner warmths of pleasure  
And hold on tight_

 _Hope you ain't scared  
I promise I'll return the favor  
I'll do that trick you can't resist  
Two rights don't make it wrong  
Makin' love 'till the break of dawn  
Emotions all up in a twist twist twist twist twist_

Vander couldn't stay away any longer and moved to join the woman on the stage, the atmosphere in the casual bar getting heady with lust.

 _I lose all control  
When you grab a hold  
And you do your trick  
I love it when you… lick_

 _Lick  
_

Lucy felt warm hands on her shoulders moving down her arms, heard a male's sensual voice join hers in the chorus.

 _You've got lock and key  
Every part of me  
Know what makes me tick  
I love it when you… lick_

Vander nipped at her long pale neck then…

 _Lick  
_

Let his tongue drag sensually up her neck right on cue.

 _I'll put my heels on for you baby  
The ones that wrap all around my leg  
Your every touch it just excites me  
And damnit I ain't too proud to beg  
And even when you're not around me  
The tingling, the tingling won't go away  
Don't make my body wait no longer  
Because this pussycat's ready to play play play play play_

Lucy was having a very hard time trying to focus on the lyrics, her skin tingling, heart fluttering as the man ran over her heated flesh. She wasn't sure what was his hands or voice but what she did know was who she was taking to her room tonight.

 _You've got lock and key  
Every part of me  
Know what makes me tick  
I love it when you… lick_

"Delicious like cream and strawberries," he purred licking up her neck again and nibbling on her ear eliciting a hitch in her breathing. "Mmmmm I know you can do better than that." He let the tips of his fingers ghost up her inner thighs and brush over her silk covered core earning a breathy groan. "Already wet for me huh? You look like an angel but that mouth, such a filthy song," he whispered in her ear, lips dragging across her cheek, brushing against her lips.

"I know of much better ways to use such a dirty mouth."

Lucy turned into the man, hands fisted in his long dark hair not giving two fucks who he was or what he looked like. His body was hard and warm under her hands, his voice alone getting her on the cusp of something wonderful, she could hardly imagine what the rest of him could do.

Vander smirked into the kiss, hands traveling down the woman's sides then gripped her ass, lifting her easily, her legs securing around his waist. This was exactly what he needed right now.

Leaning back for much needed air Lucy's mind rolled, she could hardly believe her luck. Dark eyes, warm, red, like her favorite wine and lips that just begged to be kissed set on the handsome face of this sexy stranger she was already wrapped around. His body was tall, lean but muscled like a swimmer's and covered in butter soft, tight, black leather that left his chest and arms bare giving her a peak at his clan's tattoos. _Winged serpents, so fitting._

Suddenly he had her pressed against a wall as he moved down, holding her in place, touching her in too many locations to make sense. _How many hands does this guy have,_ was her last coherent thought before his warm mouth stole her sanity.

Vander couldn't get enough of this woman, actually using some shadows to hold her in place on the wall so he could feast on her body freely. There was a warmth to her presence that felt similar to when his brother Bickslow help heal his soul so he could get some real sleep when things were getting really bad. The sensation got stronger the closer she got to orgasm. Curious as ever, Vander used a single digit to circle her opening and was rewarded with a little rush of or her power. He smirked, decision made. He was going to fuck this woman until she passed out then do it all over again just to feel that warm light.

Lucy could feel she was right there and with a flick of his tongue and twist of his fingers suddenly buried deep in her cunt she came biting back her screams incredibly aware of the public space.

A pulse of pure magic washed over Vander as her strangled cries of pleasure filled his ears. It cocooned around him melding with his own, the feeling so heady he almost came in his pants from it alone.

"Fuck I'm going to take you so many times tonight you won't be walking right for a week," he said before sealing his mouth over hers and plunging his tongue in deep.

Lucy's senses were on overload, the taste of black cherries and bitter dark chocolate mixed with her orgasm on his tongue, as she clung to this man for all she was worth thanking Cana and Kaleb in the back of her mind for bringing her here and now to her own personal Himeros.

She fumbled briefly pulling out her room key. Slapping in onto his chest she broke the kiss.

"The Aqualina Resort, are you familiar?"

"Very. Nice place right on the Grass Sea." Vander descended on her again sucking her tongue into his mouth and Lucy slowly lost her ability to think again.

"Hold on tight," he whispered before dropping into the shadows to take her to her room. He could have moved faster in the voids but nothing said mood killer faster than evil fucked up beasties trying to eat your soul.

-LCL-

Vander nestled further between soft breasts briefly before waking to the setting sun. Turns out, he'd been right. Every time he drove this woman past her peak he was wrapped up in her blinding magic stealing his release yet invigorating him at the same time so much so that he had her going well into the late morning the next day with only a short break for a brief nap.

Sighing regretfully Vander got up and stretched. Looking down on the naked blonde a soft smile tugging at his lips. She was a woman he was sure to not ever forget.

One night with her hardly seemed to be enough time to explore what they could do together but sadly Vander knew he couldn't stay any longer. There was bound to be a shit ton of fallout at the palace soon and he needed to be there to personally ensure anyone trying to run failed.

Calling up his magic to his hands Vander spent his last few minutes with the blonde who he only knew as Cricket to mold an insubstantial shadow into a delicate looking matte metal black chain with five tear drop onyx looking gems. Holding it up to the fading light, satisfied Vander clasped it on her ankle as a parting gift. One final kiss on her thatch of short blond curls Vander fell into the cold of the voids. It would have to be enough for now and if he got very lucky, he'd be seeing her again sometime.

-LCL-

Altiene sat in his office alone, General Tennison being the last to leave, still in a state of shock by everything that had happened today. When he'd gotten the massive "for your eyes only" packages from Grendance his first reaction had been disbelief and wanting to ignore it, that was until he had Generals Tennison, Fashen, and Parson barging down his door up in arms. The rest of his day was spent going through it all closely.

None of that helped him believe so many of his trusted advisors, his daughter, would be doing what they did to his people, the people they had sworn to protect and serve.

Sighing, Altiene poured himself a large, very stiff drink.

-LCL-

Year x788: April Present

Cristoff stood momentarily on the front steps of his other brother's home trying to organize a plan so he could enter it with a reassuring confidence that he knew the people inside most desperately needed. He wanted more details about how this all happened so he could have a working theory before seeing them but until he saw them he didn't have a way to know more. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly the lunar dragon slayer stood up straighter and walked right in.

He followed the sounds of quiet sobs, the overpowering scent of salt water in the air no doubt from the confused woman who found herself carrying a little baby dragon from probably a one night stand before almost tripping at the sight. The tall large frame of his blue and black haired brother sat in the center of a large overstuffed couch with a smaller more lithely built male with wild burgundy hair, pointed ears and a scar over his left eye sitting on his left leg, and a petite blonde with very familiar curves crumpled and curled into his right side.

"Lucy?" he involuntarily said before he could catch himself, it was just such an unexpected sight. He knew she was a member of Fairy Tail and lived in Magnolia but he hadn't for one second thought she'd be the unsuspecting mother. Gods, he'd planned to look her up while he was here too and have her show him around town and maybe have a repeat performance this time with decidedly more time to spend together outside of bed. The mother of all shit threw a wrench in those plans.

Milk chocolate eyes red and puffy from tears looked up and met his own filled with surprise and confusion.

"Cris? What are you doing here?" the blonde shifted to get a better look. It had been a little over three weeks since she'd seen the man before her in all his naked glory. Gods, he was built just like she liked and the sight of him again was distraction enough from her current concerns she latched onto it. His silky long hair, so black it shone blue in the sunlight, was pulled back in a leather cuff keeping it out of his face. He was wearing a light blue long sleeved shirt cuffs rolled up to his elbows that pulled over his muscled pecs and biceps, the front hem tucked into white slacks that cut beautifully on his body emphasizing his thighs and an ass she knew was rock hard. Heaven help her she loved Dragon Slayers and stars that extended weekend had been amazing. Had Lucy not been as far along in her pregnancy as she was, Cristoff would have definitely been the only other potential daddy on her list.

Cristoff's nose flared as the sweet scent of the blonde's faint arousal permeated the room and a crooked smile tugged on his lips. It was good to know he'd left a favorable impression even if he didn't remember most of it; the full moon tended to have that effect on him. What he did remember though…Lucy was all delectable soft curves on the outside but he loved how her eyes held fire and lit up when she was climaxing. She was such a passionate lover, too bad his dragon hadn't so much as said two words while he was with her or after they parted; he couldn't do much better than having her as his mate.

A growl brought Cristoff's thoughts up short as he met the eye of the once catatonic slayer now promising all sorts of pain directed at him. Chagrinned the lunar slayer held his hands up to placate the other slayer, his disarmingly charming smile firmly affixed. Nurem, his dragoness mother, had told him dragons became possessive around their brood mothers especially when there were unborn hatchlings involved so he really should have expected the same could be said about slayers. It wouldn't matter Lucy wasn't Cobra's mate, she was carrying his child and he would be extremely territorial around her, apparently enough to take issue with her being aroused at all around another slayer.

Cobra just snorted and pulled the woman into his arms as his eye narrowed on the threat. He may be a second gen slayer but his natural soul listening magic had always allowed him to be better in tune with his instincts than any of the other slayers in Fairy Tail. The only reason he'd not known Bickslow was his mate until they were actually having sex was because he couldn't even imagine having a mate that was male. Hell, he'd been drawn to the seith mage from day one and hadn't fought his need to be near the man; that's why they'd been such close friends even though Bix's antics could get more than a bit exhausting.

So right now he knew, just knew, he needed to keep Lucy away from any unmated slayers because they would try and seduce her from him and his mate then destroy his hatchling so she could carry one of their own. He might never have wanted kids, thought he'd be complete shit as a father, but like hell would he let anyone destroy the precious souls growing in his kin. Fuck that shit, even if the kid wasn't his he'd still of protected it and help raise the ankle biter with Lucy. He knew she wanted children eventually and would be completely wrecked if anything happened to the ones she had now.

"Aww, now I'm jealous. How come you don't hold me like that Sugar Lips?" Bickslow pitched his gruff deep voice higher and had his right hand clutching his chest.

Cobra fought the instinct to roll his eye. It was just so Bickslow to crack a joke when a stranger clearly interested in _their pregnant_ kin who was obviously carrying _his_ kids was in _their_ home.

"Who are you?" All of his senses focused on the slayer in front of him, listening to his very soul trying to interpret its meaning since the man's thoughts were silent.

"Cristoff Pradesh, Bickslow's younger brother," was the easy reply from the massive slayer.

Cobra's mind raced nostrils flaring for confirmation. Mate's Brother. Family. Kin. The tension in his shoulders relaxed. Kin would never harm a Brood Mother, it would be bad for the tatsu. The terms came naturally to mind even though he had no real clue what they meant. It was like when he'd been reunited with Cubelious…Kinana, she was kin too. All that mattered was Cristoff was no longer a threat, well, to Lucy and his child anyway.

"Keep it in your pants," was all he said before loosening his grip on the blonde while she mentally worked through the concept that she'd fucked Bickslow's brother _a lot_ apparently, something he would enjoy ribbing her about later, and turned his attention back to his mate. "You called him?"

Lucy stood up freed from her position on Cobra's lap. Now that she'd allowed herself time to freak out working through her shock and just oodles of tension, seen that her friends didn't hate her now and judging by Bickslow's tongue being shoved down Cobra's throat that they were still going to be just find after all, Lucy could finally think and her questions about the whole situation and how in the fuck it had even happened in the first place came swarming back.

Glancing back up to the attractive man she smiled sheepishly. This was not how she'd imagined running into him again. Hell she hadn't even known he was a Pradesh until now and as such one of her best friend's, and used to be hump buddy's, brother. Damn were the pair hot. Quickly Lucy shook her head internally before her thoughts strayed into dangerous territory, she couldn't afford to set Cobra off again.

"So, you're the unexpected mother?" the dark haired slayer smiled warmly not taking a step any nearer to the buxom blonde. Until he had Cobra's approval to look her over he was keeping his distance just in case.

"You could say that. I mean I got my infertility shot done like normal and coming off of a job at Heaven's Gate I'd been religious in taking a wafers too… I don't understand how this could happen." Lucy moved to the large flower printed arm chair, dubbed as her chair since she had insisted on its purchase, and sat with her legs folded under.

Cristoff tucked that little detail away to think about later. Those wafers were made in Bosco and were beyond trustworthy. He knew the brand she used because she'd insisted they both take one after their own physical encounter not quite a month prior even though he'd explained how his magic worked. As a healer, making sure his own little swimmers weren't viable was as simple as breathing. The fact that she also got monthly shots for infertility too meant she'd not been taking any chances and he wasn't surprised. From what he knew of the woman she left as little to chance as possible especially since she'd been working where she had.

Bickslow had dragged him to that club once before and the dancers there were incredibly talented in many ways so knowing Lucy had more skills he hadn't seen?…Yeah, something to think on later, maybe when he was free to act on them…

"Alright, take me from the top. When was a last time you and Erik had sex and did anything weird occur?" the lunar slayer said making himself comfortable on the love seat. At the blush blooming on Lucy's cheeks, the self-satisfied glint in his brother's eyes and the decidedly awkward shift in his fellow slayer he knew this was going to be an interesting story.

-LCL-

Year x788: March; One And A Half Months Before Present

Lucy let her eyes travel over the stage while she maneuvered around the crowd so she could make her way up to deliver the bottle of Crystal and glasses to some second level guests. It had been a week since she, Bix and Cobra had arrived at the famous Hargeon night club Heaven's Gate for their mission. They undercover tasked to find out who was bringing in the Frenzy, an illicit drug that had the bad habit of causing more overdoses than it was worth. The club had an amazing bar, a selection of safe mood altering potions and even professional "stress relief", ie all kinds of sexual favors, provided by any and all the club workers for a price. Frenzy was bad for business so here the three of them were finishing their last night, names of the dealer and his supplier already in hand ready to turn in.

It was a fun job. The celestial mage had really enjoyed the freedom she felt when she got to dance on stage but nothing really could compare to getting to see Bickslow perform which is why her eyes kept finding their way back to the stage.

The man was so beautifully toned and the lighting looked amazing across his tanned skin. The things he could do with his body, it really was no surprise that he got so many requests for special favors when he was finished with his routines.

Gods, she already had plans to jump him when they got home tomorrow. There wasn't a god or goddess in existence that she hadn't thanked already for their hump buddy status. While this type of relationship was common in Bosco, the country her dearest Bixy was from, in Fiore it was taboo but she didn't really care about what people thought about her anymore, she was happy. Bickslow and she were good friends and they found each other attractive. So what if they found pleasure and relief with each other from time to time?

As a seith mage, Bickslow had a soul mate out there somewhere that he very much wanted to find and as good as the sex was, they just weren't meant for each other and Lucy more than understood that. She loved the idea of having a destined other half and supported his wishes fully. They were still amazing friends and roommates and until she couldn't have him anymore, she would definitely enjoy his amazing tongue and the rest of him.

Lucy also had her fair share of requests from clients too but most of them were drunken duds she'd had to do all the work for and even then most finished way way way before her leaving her unfulfilled by the vast majority. It fucking left her hornier than she could ever remember.

Eyes cutting to the bar as she made her way to drop off the cleared tray, one vibrant indigo eye locked on hers sending shivers down her spine. Stars she'd take Cobra right now against the wall in the storage room if she didn't need to get ready for her final performance and by the arrogant smirk twisting his smooth lips he knew it too.

 _Later,_ she thought knowing the soul hearing poison slayer would hear her.

Mmmmm, he was another one of her go to hump buddies she'd happily bed until he found his mate. His deep reddish hair was so soft, skin so sensitive she loved nibbling on his pointed elfin ears and sucking on his pierced lobs.

Where Bickslow was playful, Cobra was pure animalistic desire and oh did she have a little fantasy of having them both in her bed together. That would be fucking amazing after all of her disappointing encounters over this last week.

-LCL-

Lucy stepped onto the dark stage, there was no music playing and as the lights throughout the space went dark the club's patrons started to still and quiet. It had been an idea she'd pitched to the owner the day before knowing this was going to be her last night and she wanted, needed, all eyes on her.

Crouched center stage the clapping beat of the song started to play drawing people in; the silence between the beats almost deafening. Bright white flashes of light hitting every other beat jarred the senses of the crowd pulling their eyes to the only bit of color on the stage - her.

As the electronic melodic lines started to play the lights started to strobe faster as Lucy slowly stood up, back to the crowd. Letting her hands glide over her oiled skin she swayed her hips letting the movement roll her body as she acted out a fantasy in her head.

This entire dance she'd choreographed especially with two men in mind and she could feel their eyes on her following the paths of her hands as she moved around the stage occasionally tugging at her constrictive costume.

The pulsing driving beat heightened her ardor and her touches became much more insistent. The images in her mind of being smashed between two hard bodies before being bent over and taken roughly while she took the other in her mouth made her own breathe hitch.

It was easy to find their eyes out in the crowd, they were the only ones there that could make her stomach flip in anticipation and heart beat violently in her chest.

She crawled to the edge of the stage, the club patrons' attention half on her half on whomever was close enough to get their hands on needing to feel, touch and taste just like she did.

By the end the celestial mage was splayed out on the floor writhing, the overhead cameras projecting the view on both sides of the stage and with the final beat it all when dark again.

Breathing hard Lucy pulled herself from the floor and quickly made her way back stage. She had no doubt there just might be a well-paying client for her after that. With any hope, as worked up as she'd gotten herself, they might be able to get her off before they became useless.

When she turned the corner a strong grip had her arm and soon she was pressed harshly against the wall, the low warning growl letting her know just who was manhandling her. Stars, that threating sound did nothing but excite her more. His hard erection pushed into her bare stomach and fanged teeth dragged over her neck.

"You want to skin me with your tongue." It wasn't a question, with him it never was as he recited the lyrics of her song back at her. She could feel his sharp claws prick her skin as his grip tightened on her hips.

"Erik…" The pleading was evident in her voice. One of his strong hands slide up to her hair then pulled her head back and to the side. He chuckled as a moan escaped her lips.

"You know the rules Nightshade," he used her stage name, "Not until after the job is done." He nipped at her once more and was gone.

Lucy slumped against the wall taking in the first real gulp of air since Cobra had first found her. Shaking her head clear the blonde stood tall again and went to go meet with the head dancer slowly bringing her trembling body under control; they would know who she would be spending her night with tonight.

-LCL-

Cobra eyed his friends closely while they rode the last few minutes on the train ride home. The job had gone very well, they all even managed to get put on the VIP lists for both Heaven's Gate and its sister club Hell's Gate for life their client was so happy. It was a perk that had his friends a lot more excited than he was. The clubs, while he could admit, were very well run and brought in a lot of hot women, were essentially just that…clubs with music that hurt his ears or his head from the mental blocks he had to put up so he didn't go crazy. If it hadn't been for Bickslow's blissfully silenced soul or Lucy's well organized thoughts he probably would have killed someone the first day on the job. They would never ever be his choice of location to go blow off some steam; he'd rather wipe out a dark guild or kill a monster for that.

Still, there had been some pretty decent lays and he'd been tipped handsomely to just bend them over in one of the privacy pods shoving their faces into the mattress to muffle their irritating screams. So, not a total loss.

The thing that had him eyeing his friends critically was the very vivid imaginings of Starfire's from early that night. As a rule Cobra didn't fuck men and Hell No was he going to let them fuck him, he'd melt their fucking dicks off first then probably vomit at the thought. But…when Lucy had pictured the three of them together doing all sorts of wrong…he hadn't felt ill, hadn't even sneered in disgust. It had his cock twitching in anticipation, which really, he was not ok with, but the way Bix's ass clenched in her fantasy, the way his face contorted as he came… it was fucking hot and even now he was tempted oh so very tempted.

Would sex be so bad with a man he trusted with his life? When it was consensual and the guy actually knew what the fuck he was actually doing? With Lucy there as a buffer? If everyone stayed away from his ass?

It was a tempting thought and he knew Starfire had gotten the shit end of the stick in this job so maybe he could do her a solid this once. It seemed like every fucking time she'd come down from the second level her client's gazes were hazy, some of them walking funny but she was always disappointed not that you would have known to look at her but the soul does not lie.

Erik knew she enjoyed sex with all types – hell, they fucked from time to time when the mood struck – but there was only so much she could do in the 2 minutes her clients averaged; she'd started timing them and it was a fucking disgrace. When compared to the men she normally fucked with any regularity – Bix, Freed, Rogue, Loke and him – it made the whole thing that much more of a disappointment. Judging by her current thoughts, even her palate cleansers, i.e. random one night stands with incredibly attractive men to keep things loose, were 10 times better at least than her clients.

Gods he loved how her mind was tearing into those sorry excuses for men. All the shit she went through since after he'd last seen her during the Infinity Clock incident was well worth it in his book. Before she was whiney and so self-conscious it was fucking annoying but now? She was so fucking sexy and badass it was unreal and the world was better off for it.

Somewhere in the back of his head he'd noted that each of her "hump buddies", her term not his, had magic that gave them each a destined mate of sorts. As dragon slayers he a Rogue had mates that their instincts and magic would be drawn to, as a seith mage Bix had a literal soulmate out there and Freed's dark as fuck demon needed his its other half to fully reach its potential. Asshole was picky as hell too. There was probably other commonalities between them all but he really didn't care if there was some deeper meaning to it all.

There were only two things that were important. One, the things she did with her snatch should be considered magic and two, he never have to deal with jealous assholes with her.

Bright hopeful brown eyes finally turned and met his own as the conductor announced their arrival in Magnolia.

 _Why that little shit…no wonder she was replaying disappointment after disappointment from their job. She's trying to get a pity fuck with her as the creamed filling between Bix and me._ He nodded his head but with a sneer so he knew she knew he was onto her. She didn't care, soul actually squealing with excitement. Good thing she knew better than to let that shit leave her mouth with him around.

-LCL-

Lucy quickly turned to Bickslow a brilliant smile on her face and nodded. He couldn't help his surprised expression but he quickly recovered grinning with his tongue hanging out as he looked back at the other dragon slayer he knew with anger management issues. When she had asked him if he'd be up for a three way with her and Cobra when they got home he'd said hell yes. Like he would pass up the opportunity to finally get his hands on that sexy slayer's body. Denial would have been a physical impossibility but he had doubted Lucy's ability to get the strictly hetero male to agree to a devil's threesome.

Shit he should have never of doubted the woman. This was the best news he'd heard in a long time. Though not shared, Bickslow completely understood Cobra's position when it came to having sex with men. The poison slayer, like one of his older brothers, had been abused repeatedly by men from an early age. That would make anyone gun shy to say the least. When they'd gotten Zen back a year ago his brother flatly refused lessons with male Sudepah. To this day Zen never sought out or agreed to have sex with men.

There was a small part of Bickslow that hoped after this, after feeling that men could give pleasure not just pain, that Cobra might be a little more open to his advances. He knew Cobra was his soulmate, had since the day he'd joined the guild, but it didn't take long for him to understand he might never get that bond he'd dreamed of his whole life because of the torment his other half had suffered at the hands of monsters with dicks. Resigned he took the proffered friendship from his soulmate and continued his normal behavior as much as possible keeping their potential connection a secret from everyone.

Thank the gods Cobra couldn't read his soul; that would have been all sorts of awkward. Gods he could kiss Lucy for giving him this chance. If nothing more came from tonight… he'd be ok with that but he was damn sure going to make his efforts count for what could be his only chance.

Never one not to act of his impulses Bickslow pulled the blonde towards him and kissed her with all his pent up passion for his soulmate.

Bickslow cackled at the dazed look on his friend's face, grabbed an arm each of Cobra and Lucy and practically dragged them off the train. "Times a wastin' Cosplayer. It's about time you finally get off dontcha think?" he said to cover his real excitement.

-LCL-

The lighting was dimmed and a playlist of what could be described as mood setting music played softly through the hidden speakers Bickslow had installed in his room as the three mages sat on his large bed. This was not how he'd imagined this going, in fact in his version of things Lucy and he had torn through Cobra's clothing already and would be trading off between kissing those sweet thin dark lips and tasting the rest of his delicious body. In reality Lucy was bouncing a little with barely restrained excitement, a sentiment he mirrored only without the physical demonstration, but the tension coming off of their would be third could choke an asthmatic in seconds.

Rolling his eyes Bickslow smirked as a plan started to form in his head. Standing up, taking Lucy with him, he started dancing sensuously to the current track letting his hands ghost up her thighs as theirs bodies slid against each other to the beat. Gods she was beautiful and moved just as well as he did to music, it was one of the reasons he'd first decided to cross that line with her. He knew they'd have great sex and her performance a few hours ago had had him so fucking hard it hurt. He could still remember her red painted lips mouthing "Baby, I wanna fuck you, I wanna feel you in my bones," chocolate orbs locked on him as her hand had slid under the dark red patent leather thong. He let the music flow over him once again letting it control his movements, forgetting about anything other than fulfilling the desires of the woman in his arms.

Grabbing her hips he pulled her willing body closer savoring the heat from the glimpse of bare skin between her low hanging skirt and tank top.

Lucy let her fingers crawl up his tanned large forearms, her nails dragging just a little letting herself fall into the heaven he was creating. One of his large callused hands, flat against her taunt stomach pushed her shirt up so he could better lead as their hips created small circles while his other hand had slipped under her skirt palming her heated sex over her drenched lace panties. Delighted little moans flew freely from her mouth as she buried her hands in the tall man's soft blue black hair behind her. Gods was this man intoxicating.

Grinding her ass into his steadily firming cock she pulled the seith mage down into a fevered kiss groaning when she felt the chill as he freed one of her breasts from her top, the cool air instantly puckering the exposed nipple.

So lost in the attentions of the tall Adonis behind her she completely missed the vicious growl and muttered "Shit!" by Cobra as he watched them dancing so erotically every cell in his body ached to be with them. Forgetting all his reservations Cobra finally got up and acted. His instincts had never led him wrong, a lesson he learned the hard way when he hadn't killed Brain right after getting the dragon lacrima implanted in his body.

Lucy whimpered as another set of hands grabbed her face forcefully pulling her mouth free of Bix's full lips only to be taken again roughly by thinner more demanding ones. Lucy groaned at the feeling of two hard hot bodies pressing into her as they moved fluidly together, their hard dicks digging into her ready for attention. Her hands instinctively latching onto muscled shoulders to ground herself and the overwhelming sensations she was feeling.

"Stars!" she barely got out when Cobra growled at her then latched back on, his own clawed fingers gripping into her firm ass.

The way Cobra's fangs teased her lips Lucy didn't even notice somewhere along the way that her clothing had been shredded leaving her naked until she felt warm fingers tug or her turgid nubs. Cobra swallowed the illicit sound and let his hands lift Lucy up as he leaned into Bickslow's steady frame.

A warm tongue traced the shell of his ear before nipping at the sensitive point sending shivers down the heated slayers spine as he dragged his painful erection through Lucy's wet hot folds. He knew it was the seith mage's tongue on him since he was kissing the hell out of the blonde wrapped around him. He also knew it was his large warm callused hands digging into his ass helping his move against Lucy and him both and for the life of him he couldn't help but love it. Goddess above there were now two people who could touch him without his dragon screaming for blood and one was a man.

Bickslow grinned against Erik's ear as he moved teasingly down his neck excited that the slayer had so far accepted his advances. Gods feeling is firm muscles under his hands, the sweet taste of his skin. He could even feel that delicious cock of his running along his own. He needed to get his hands on it so he did.

Reaching between Lucy's legs his hand firmly grabbed Erik's hard velvet length stroking it firmly he used it to tease Lucy while he got his feel for them both. Erik might be his soulmate but Lucy was the beautiful person that made this happen and like hell he'd leave either of them unsatisfied.

The trio slowly moved towards the bed writhing against each other now taking their time to let the heat overwhelm them. When Erik finally sunk into Lucy's scorching sex the back of his knees hit the bed causing him to sit abruptly.

Lucy groaned at the hard thrust but easily used her leverage now with her legs wrapped around Erik's trim hips to bend back and finally get a taste of her other partner.

Bickslow's eyes crossed as the blonde's kiss bruised lips wrapped around his length, hands gripping his thighs while he watched Erik's steady rhythm make her heavy breasts bounce.

Lucy knew she was close from the attentions from both men on her but as she felt the edge of her climax coming near she used all the strength she had to clench down on the slayer determined to take at least one of her partners with her.

Cobra snarled and shuttered as Lucy came down on him like a vice ripping his orgasm from him so hard he could barely breathe. He'd been too focused on watching the way the taller mages hips flexed and how his hands travelled over the woman between them to hear the little minx's plans but determinedly he forced himself to ram into her harder.

Lucy groaned around Bix's cock earning her own well-earned Boscan expletives as he reflexively pushed further into her mouth. She didn't last much longer, over a week of being on the edge hornier than hell never quite getting there had her easy to please but seeing Bickslow's carved ass hollow with his shallow thrusts, the muscles rippling up his back…Stars above she loved he'd placed the large mirror there so even upside down and between his legs she could still see glimpses of Cobra's darker lither form ram into her aching core, watch as his abs flexed. It was all too much. Her scream was choked as her body bent unnaturally up when her long needed orgasm finally overwhelmed her.

Moments later, when her mind kicked in again she registered Cobra's weight on top of her the tale tell signs of his seed dripping warmly down her ass. It was a badge of pride she'd at least gotten him off with her but she was far from done. Let it never be said she ever left a lover dissatisfied.

Their night had only begun, pleasure, lust, desire had them drunk on passion, needing more the more they indulged.

Bix's eyes rolled back in his head when he finally got to feel his soulmates heavy cock inside him. It was so much better than he could have imagined, the first real hope blooming in his chest, but his attention was stolen again when Lucy dropped down on his cock as the pair worked in tandem to drive him insane. It was like an unspoken agreement since he hadn't gotten off yet. Thrust, drop, thrust, drop the pace got frantic as the duo worked his body. Souls this was Nirvana.

Cobra growled, a feeling deep in him loving the way Bix's ass felt around him, the way his hips crashing into Bickslow's cheeks and thighs. It felt good. It felt right.

Not once tonight had the beautiful man screamed in pain but instead asked for more, harder, faster, and he gave it, dragon force coming on easily as he drove into his willing body all thoughts of the petite blonde between them gone now with the blinding need to dominate such a powerful body, his fangs itching.

When Lucy screamed it set off a chain reaction. Her pussy clamped on Bix, Bix came with her his own body seizing, Cobra snarled as he was the next to follow needing to sink his fangs into his best friend.

Smashing Lucy between them to do so, Cobra bit down on Bickslow's shoulder feeling his magic swirl and flow out of him. The magic in Bix's blood filling his mouth, one thought repeating in his mind, _Mate._ His world stopped, shattered, came back together and then finally made sense.

"Oh…my…Mavis! Did what I think just happen, happen? Are you guys mated now? I'm so happy for you! Damn it! I'll need to find new hump buddies now, not that they can replace either of you, oh and I should probably go and leave you guys alone but I'm stuck in the hottest man sandwich ever. Cana's going to be so jealous and Mira's gonna pass right the fuck out. Oh stars, can you imagine trying to explain how you two got toge- umpgh." Cobra's hand clapped over the chattering blonde's mouth as his mate shook with laughter under them both.

"Starfire, if you don't want me to be covered in your blood and viscera you will keep what happened just now to yourself," he rumbled without any real edge. He actually liked her too much to follow through and she knew it too but at least he knew she would keep the details of what happened to herself. He needed time to process and acclimate to the situation without the crazies in Fairy Tail storming the place.

"Mm phughhdn."

Cobra sighed and removed his hand.

"I promise for now but…can I at least tell Laxus you're mated? Oh and Bixy's dad?"

Rolling off the blonde and next to his mate he sighed and ran his hand down his face. "And Kinana but not while you're at the guild."

Lucy squealed softly, gave them both a huge kiss on the mouth then dashed out the door on wobbly legs internally refiling Bix and Erik from hump buddies to best friends. Gods if she had to lose two of her favorites at least it was to each other with a hell of a parting memory.

As she scrambled to put on clothes and grab a few items she noted in the back of her head the wonderful soreness of a night and morning well spent. It was a testament to her well fought for stamina that even though her body still tingled she was somewhat mobile.

-End of Chapter-


	5. Day 3: Summit

A/N: Wow you guys, some of your guesses for this story are so close to what's going on it's like your in my head. Some of you have also been acting about just how much Lucy's getting around, well when I first had the idea for this story it was a challenge to myself to see if I could come up with a cohesive plot where Lucy had met and bedded all the Pradesh boys not necessarily knowing who they were. I do feel a little bad for Kaleb though since when he met Lucy there really was no opportunity for that to happen, though she was way too innocent and sheltered at that point too.

I haven't completely finished writing the story so maybe there's time. Kinda don't know who is going to finally end up with her either... What do you all think? Maybe I can do a poll at the end after you all know Lucy's interactions with the family and you can help me out? Or a curve ball and she ends up with none of them...that's a bit evil :D

Love all your support, Blas

* * *

Day 3: Summit

Year x788: April; Present

Cristoff tried his hardest not to laugh. The situation the trio found themselves in was incredibly serious but it was just so Bickslow to wind up getting mated with another person smashed in between them. Paired with Lucy's innate ability to wind up in the weirdest situations imaginable, their tale was just so fitting it was funny. Still, he had a weepy woman, a brother with his new mate in staring at him in confusion and shock all looking to him for answers and he had a fairly decent ideal of what happened but would need to confirm something first before he said anything. He had to be serious for now; he could laugh his ass off with Vander about all of this when he told the family later.

"Alright Lucy, are you ok for me to check something really quick?" A quick nod and Cristoff let his healing powers sweep over the blonde running his glowing hands from the top of her head down to her toes before moving back up and focusing on her womb, diving deeper for more details. It took a while to check one of the hatchlings, being only 3 inches long, but fuck were his suspicions confirmed when he glimpsed its DNA. Pulling away from Lucy he took a seat aware all the stares.

"When dragons or dragon slayers mate the magic transfer to complete the bond is intense," Cristoff began. "Mating incites its own type of elevated healing to help ensure the mating pairs' magic can't cause too much damage before their bodies can acclimate."

"So it kept Bickslow from being poisoned before his body adjusted to Erik's venom?" Lucy asked.

"Exactly. Now my suspicion is that since you were quite literally stuck in the middle of the mating," he paused to rein in his humor, "the magic must have affected you by healing your infertility as well as Cobra's and Bixy's."

"I…well…," Lucy's brow furrowed. "That actually makes sense," she sighed, shoulders slumping.

"There is something else you should all know because it will directly impact the health of any hatchlings and their development. Lucy is carrying your babies, as in Cobra and your babies, Bix, not her own," the raven haired mage said directly to his brother and really he tried not to laugh but he couldn't help it in the end. Their faces…it was just so funny.

"What in the actual fuck?" Lucy said, hands over her abdomen as she started fixedly down at it like it held all the answers and if she focused on it hard enough the mini dragons – plural, something she was going to ignore for now - she was growing would spill everything.

"Ummm," Bickslow could only blink, overcome with emotions trying to sort out his head. It wasn't uncommon for a woman to become pregnant by a chance encounter and raise the child on her own or with her partner should she have one. It wasn't shameful behavior to him at all. He'd even been ready to support Lucy and his mate through this since he knew dragon slayer pregnancies were not normal. Fully planned on showering the little guy with love so he never wanted for male affection growing up but he'd thought of the baby still be Lucy's in the end.

Not anymore. This baby was his and Cobra's, would need them both while Lucy carried it to term for them. He know knew exactly what Lucy had been feeling when she first showed up back home. His life was never going to be the same.

Cobra once again become unresponsive and pale as he stared blankly at the wall.

"Oh gods this has got to be a first! My best guess is that as their magic combined for the mating, it also did the same to the semen in your body," Cristoff continued explaining to Lucy, the only one listening to him currently. "The dragon slayer genetics would have taken over from there easily over powering your DNA and voila. You're officially Bickslow and Cobra's Brood Mother and you'll be needing magic from them both so the little ones grow strong and healthy, which means frequent sex. It would also be wise to keep any male Cobra doesn't see as kin at a healthy distance just to be safe."

-LCL-

"You're not worried?" Farron settled next to his father ready to talk now that they had a semblance of privacy in the private train car on their way to Magnolia.

"Why would I be worried?" Arman asked scrolling through baby stuff on his L-pad.

"Father, Bickslow and Cobra are here in Fiore. You know as well as I do the laws around paternity are almost opposite from Bosco. We don't know who this woman is or what she might want from Cobra. Bix and his mate could be completely crushed because of this woman. What if she denies Bickslow access to his soulmate's child while forcing Cobra to jump through hoops? It could break them."

"All of that is true and would be worth worrying over but you're forgetting one thing."

"What?" Farron was close to pulling out his hair. As the oldest sibling it was his duty, his pleasure, to look out for his siblings and the stress of maybe not being able to help here was driving him insane.

"Bickslow called Cristoff for help first."

"I'm not likely to forget the concern and worry in his voice." Farron argued.

"True but you're missing the point. He could have easily called you or me if he'd have been worried about any problems this woman might cause knowing we'd send Cristoff to him immediately without him having to ask. And, do you really think Bickslow wouldn't show any jealousy toward this woman and her claim on his soulmate after waiting for so long for an opportunity to be with him? Or have you completely forgotten Bixy's call six months ago?"

Farron blinked, he had forgotten about Bickslow's call and what's more, his father had a point. Bickslow, as outrageous in his behavior as he was, was extremely closed off to most people emotionally, was the first to be defensive if he felt threatened. Having a woman unexpectedly show carrying his soulmate's child would have fired off every alarm the man had. His first reaction would have been anger and suspicion, not worry and fear.

Still, Bickslow had been burned by those he had thought he'd known and trusted in the past…

"Father-"

"It will all work out in the end," Arman smiled knowingly, something Farron didn't miss.

"You know something." His sharp blue eyes narrowed.

Arman shrugged adding another item to the cart, a bright yellow onesie with "Grandpa's Favorite" written in green on the front, his smile widening. He'd started keeping closer tabs on Bickslow after the trouble his little boy got himself into years back trying to help take-over Fairy Tail by force with Laxus so he knew very well who the unknown woman likely was and the circumstances of conception given all the facts. Arman was 97% sure she was same woman who'd called him at the embassy with the news of Bickslow's mating. How else would Lucy have known about it so soon and who to tell if she hadn't been involved somehow?

Yes, he couldn't be happier.

-LCL-

Year x787: November; One And A Half Years Before Present

"Come on Bossman! The guild can totally afford it now," Bickslow needled.

"Honestly Bickslow, how can you even suggest such an investment? That money could be better spent going toward our plans to build the Mage School," Freed interjected while looking through Fairy Tail's finances and bank statements.

"Naw man! We have a fundraiser already planned to cover that." Bickslow brushed off the idea. "I'm tellin' ya, you want Fairy Tail to continue growing and bring in more talent? This right here is the answer," he pointed at the catalogue in his hands.

"Bix for the last time I'm not buying a mechanical bull for the guild hall." Laxus rubbed his temples. Sometimes his friends had brilliant ideas but this one? It was just plain stupid; sadly, Freed's wasn't much better.

The whole point in opening an official school for mages in Fiore was to ensure any child, youth or adult with magic got the instruction in not only how to use it but also a general education so they could live full lives in whatever they chose to become. The fundraiser was geared to bring people all over the country and in many walks in life together to participate monetarily at first with the hopes of drawing volunteers to teach classes and seminars about their industries and how magic can seamlessly integrate into it later.

Not everyone with magic wanted to be a guild mage after all and if Fairy Tail built the school alone, Laxus knew those affiliated with other guilds or those interested in careers outside of mage work wouldn't take advantage of the much needed help the school could provide.

"You're just not seeing the big pict-" the slam of the guild's doors opening cut the seith mage off and for that Laxus was grateful.

The guild went silent, everyone looking at the small cloaked group standing just inside, ready to act at the first sign of aggression. Years of having dark guilds literally come knocking had fostered a substantial caution of unfamiliar people visiting the bar.

"Pull the panties out your asses it's just us." A gruff voice grumbled before the small group pulled back their hoods.

"Cobra! Fight Me!" Natsu shouted immediately, smiling wide, flaming fist raised before he was electrocuted to unconsciousness.

"Meredy?" Juvia called out curiously to her unlikely friend.

"Jellal… what brings you to Fairy Tail?" Erza stood walking over to face the group directly.

"We were once offered a place here by Markarov at a time when that wasn't possible. Now that Queen Hisui has pardoned us of our crimes we were hoping the offer still stood." Jellal stood proud at the forefront of the group ready for any backlash his words might provoke. All three of them had hurt members in this guild so it wasn't likely they'd be immediately accepted.

"Laxus?" Erza asked after the momentary shock wore off looking up toward the second floor, hope shining brightly in her eyes.

The tall blonde stood up and waved for the three previous dark mages to follow him as he made his way to his office not saying a word. He was all too aware what it felt like coming here after having royally fucking up and any questions he had for them could and would be done in the privacy of his office.

Bickslow just sat there, mug of beer frozen halfway to his clenched jaw, hand shaking, eyes flashing rapidly between green and red safely behind his visor.

It had only taken a brief glance at the souls to comprehend they were earnestly wanting what Jellal had said, something he'd done just in case Laxus asked for his opinion. That's not what had the seith mage's magic wigging out. No, that was caused by one man and one man only, Cobra…his soulmate.

Bickslow could hardly believe it. After so many years he'd finally found his other half, the one person in this world meant just for him and it took every ounce of control he had to fight against his magic's initial reaction, wanting nothing more than to tie the poison slayer's soul to him forever the moment he laid eyes on him.

"Fuck." Bickslow whispered dragging out the word.

"Are you ok?" Freed asked his usually energetic and happy friend.

"Yeah man, just suddenly feel like a freight train plowed into my head." Bickslow downed the last of his beer. "I'm going to head home. Tell Cosplayer I already left?"

Freed nodded his head and watched his friend leave, concerned how stiff and off-balance he seemed all of a sudden. The rune mage made a mental note to tell Lucy about what his saw so she could check up on the man after she went home tonight.

-LCL-

Bickslow slumped on his bed mind reeling at all the memories that had flooded his system before he'd been able to stop his magic from establishing a soul bond only an hour ago. He hadn't meant to invade Erik's privacy like that, becoming privy to every aspect of the man's life without permission and if he could take it back, forget everything he unfortunately knew now because of that, he would.

All the knowledge did was tear his heart to pieces the more he saw, the more he understood. Erik had been through hell, survived things like his brother Zen had. Both growing up being forcibly raped whenever they could no longer fight all the men off of their vulnerable young bodies, too weak, hurt and hungry to do more than cry or scream. Those experiences still made Zen react violently if a man tried touching him suggestively without his express permission, something that had only happened once with a trained Sudepah before his brother cut the lesson short because of his discomfort. Judging by what Bickslow saw through Erik's memories, he was the same way; not once had he seen Erik choose to be with a man.

 _Cobra, I have to remember to call him Cobra unless he invites me to call him Erik,_ he chided himself.

It didn't take long before Bickslow realized he was lost, his future dream to start a family with his soulmate hopeless. He would never be able to live life without Erik as some part of it even if that meant only as a friend, never be able to commit to someone else… He grabbed his chest and turned into his bed, the painful thought leaving him breathless, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Blindly Bickslow grabbed his com and dialed the first person he could think of.

"Hello," the warm voice answered surprised.

"Dad…" he got out before the damn broke on all his emotions as he sobbed.

-LCL-

Year x788: March; Twenty Three Days Before Present

Cristoff paced and why not? There was nothing left for him to do but wait, wait for Kaan, one of the best teleportation mages White Sea had, to back track the escape jump of the fucking first lieutenant of Nightmare, the main fucking reason he and his team were here. Their breach of the perimeter had taken too long which gave Drake just enough time to escape via a teleportation lacrima. From the information White Sea had gathered, Drake Eves was more than just the first lieutenant of the dark guild, he was the best friend of the guild's mysterious leader known simply as The Master and the only person who knew where the guy was holed up.

They needed to recover Drake alive without sending off warnings to the rest of Nightmare. That's why his team had been sent to raid these warehouses instead of a normal military unit. Kaleb knew he could lunar-shift Drake straight to him during the chaos while nobody would miss him so he could pull everything they wanted from the man and by the time Nightmare noticed he was missing White Sea would hopefully be breaking down The Master's door.

As a dragon slayer that used healing magic had also made him an ideal choice. His heightened senses made physically tracking the man easier and if things ended in a fight he had the skills to heal the bastard so he survived. Cristoff seriously doubted it would come to that but it was always better to plan for the worst; Drake could have joined up with other Nightmare members by now and every second that past with Drake on the loose the more likely he would get away completely.

Gods he hated how long he'd already had to wait for Kaan to show up so they could take the first step in chasing after Drake.

"Kaan, how's it coming?" he asked for the fifth time in an hour.

"The same since the last time you asked. Whoever setup this lacrima was good. They built in false signature trails so it is taking some time to weed through them all trying to find the one Drake used."

Cristoff bit back a frustrated growl letting his hands run through his long black hair. Patience was a virtue he usually had in spades but the lunar dragon slayer could almost taste the best lead they'd found in years in finding The Master slipping through his fingers.

 _Good news Cris. Laxus just called. It seems one of his mages intercepted a man matching Drake's description after over-hearing he'd just escaped a White Sea raid._

Cristoff paused in his pacing. This was good news, better than good news. _Where are they? Anywhere close to somewhere I've been so I can shift directly there and grab him? Do we know if Drake was able to send out a warning before going down?_

 _She was close to the summit where our family cabin is on in Fiore. I gave Laxus the coordinates so she should be on her way there now. I didn't get all the details of the capture but it sounded clean._

 _She?_ Cristoff couldn't help but start chuckling quietly, it was just too perfect. Drake had a serious record for his abuse of women specifically, running all the female slave trading Nightmare did around all of Ishgar. He was also known to take the time to personally "break them in". Drake was absolute horse shit and unfortunately too good at funneling women under the radar for many opportunities to be caught. If he hadn't branched out into child slavery and encroached on another dark guild's territory White Sea may not have found him at all. So, for a woman to capture his slippery ass by chance? Perfect.

 _Yes, Laxus didn't specify who they were only that they'd been tracking down something for the job they were on when Drake practically fell into her lap. She called Laxus shortly after to arrange for one of our people to pick the guy up. When you get there be sure let her know the $10 million bounty is all hers and if you have time maybe help her finish the job she was on as well? Maybe take some time to show all our appreciation for her help if you feel so inclined?_ Kaleb's baritone was suggestive, as if he really needed to suggest that to Cristoff. Out of all the siblings Vander was the only one as prolific with random partners as he was, maybe more so without full moons taken into account. As long as her personality wasn't horrible he'd be leaving her with a permanent smile on her face.

 _The woman probably saved this operation from being a complete disaster, like you even had to ask. Am I taking Kaan with me so he can bring Drake to you immediately…?_

 _Just grab one of the emergency jump lacrima to send Drake on alone and leave Kaan where he is to help with the cleanup. I'll be waiting for Drake in the infirmary._

"Kaan, Kaleb just –"

"Yep," the man pointed at his head. "You'll be needing this."

He smiled, sharp canines peeking out from his full lips catching the small lacrima device. It was specifically designed for use by an injured White Sea mage to be taken directly to their guild's infirmary for emergency healing but was now going to quickly transport their prize and potential key to taking down The Master and Nightmare for good instead.

Cristoff felt for the light reflected off the moon low on the horizon. He let the cool sensation move through him, picturing the large cabin their family used to visit Bickslow in the years immediately following his exile from Bosco because of his magic. At the time the remote cabin was the only way they could all be together safely since Bosco had warrants out for Bickslow's arrest and extradition treaties in place for any seith mage that fled their borders to be shipped back if found. Fiore was one of those countries for 2 long years until King Toma put his foot down pulling his country out of such an indiscriminate witch hunt and declared his protection of any mage that have been convicted in any country for nothing more than being born with a particular magic in their veins.

Since then the cabin hadn't often been used outside of annual maintenance because their family could openly visit their brother without fear of leading bounty hunters right to him.

-LCL-

Controlling her breathing Lucy stealthily followed the tracks in the underbrush through the forest. She'd taken this job alone so she could cover all the utilities, trash and water bills this month as well as keep the pantry stocked for Bickslow and Cobra while they mated without tapping into her savings. It was the least she could do to repay her friend for when he took her in after they moved back to Magnolia to help Laxus reform the guild; her old landlady had already rented out her old apartment by then and no one else in town would rent to Fairy Tail Mages. Lucy really couldn't blame them, where Fairy Tail went destruction seemed to follow and who would want to willingly live next to that? If she owned property she wouldn't rent to her guild mates either.

She'd been at a local bar bemoaning her bad luck when Bickslow came out of nowhere, threw her over his shoulder and carried her back to his amazing three story Brownstone and said she could have the top floor to do with as she wished. "Not like we weren't roomies at Blue Pegasus up until now anyways," was all he'd said before hopping on his babies and flying them home.

Home. _Damn, looks like I'm house hunting again. Maybe Erik will let me take over his lease? It's the least that asshole could do for mating one of my hump buddies_. Lucy cried a little inside. She loved them both really, was extremely happy for them but there was a small part of her, that selfish little voice she always ignored, that realized that there was no fucking way she could replace a soul listening Dragon Slayer or an acrobatic Boscan on her list of go to lovers when she needed a guaranteed amazing orgasm without the fuss. The things they'd done to her…

"You bastards are lucky I love you," she muttered continuing her steady climb cursing as another branch tangled in her hair.

When the number one mission the request board had picked out for her said:

Help needed!

150,000 Jewel to find and return a beloved pet.

Double if returned without injury.

Lucy couldn't pass it up. She already _hated_ killing things even if they were vicious animals so returning someone's pet to them unharmed? It was a dream come true or so she'd thought. Had she known she'd have to track down a Sasquatch with telepathic capabilities so far north on foot she might have taken one of the other jobs she'd been tagged for because damn it all, every time she caught up to the creature he was one step ahead and had already moved on.

"Like hell I'm going back for the merchandise. White Sea showed up and I was barely able to teleport out of there in time. I need to lie low, stay off the radar for at least a week. It'll be safer for everyone concerned to find more brats later and call those ones a loss," an unknown man grumbled cutting through the quiet sounds of nature. Lucy instinctively froze and listened hard, the voice had been close.

It took more time to change her direction physically to intercept this creep than for her mind to decide she couldn't just let him get away. White Sea was a massive guild in Bosco well known for hunting the worst of the worst dark mages. They even had specialized teams designed to raid slave traders working all around their borders and she was betting that this guy had to be one of them. Who else would refer to merchandise being brats?

 _Was this guy involved in child slavery?_ Her blood ran cold and she picked up her pace unconcerned about her previous prey. She needed a plan to catch this guy first. This scum bucket might think he's home free since White Sea couldn't chase him across the border into Fiore but he was SOL today. She was here and wouldn't let that happen.

 _I wonder if Laxus is still in touch with anyone in White Sea?_ Lucy thought, eyes firmly on the guy now but she stayed hidden and watched a little bit longer.

She knew Laxus had done a couple of jobs for the Boscan guild while he'd been banished from Fairy Tail so he had at one point known some active members. If he didn't anymore? That was a bridge she would cross once she had this man secured. There was always the option of trying to call Bickslow, he had family in Bosco and if she remembered correctly some of his siblings were mages in that guild…it was a last resort since he was busy.

Pausing another second Lucy thought of the man she'd met on her 16th birthday. Kaleb was a White Sea mage, had always said if she needed his help with anything she could contact him. He even reiterated the offer after she repaid him a favor about a year ago...

Lucy's heart started pounding in her chest at just the thought of hearing from him again. Stars she'd been crushing on the man ever since they met and it took all her will power not to look up everything she could about him knowing the more she learned the likelier she would long for the impossible. Was she ready to see him again? Her stomach flipped at the thought.

Nope.

Looks like she would play it safe and contact Laxus. Plans settled Lucy scrambled out from her spot behind the trees.

"Help me," she let her voice tremble and crack as she feigned a limp looking behind her quickly as she clamored forward. She already looked the part with foliage in her hair, rips in her clothing and dirt smeared on her body from weeks of hard travel on foot.

The man took one look at her heavy chest and leered, opening his arms for her to throw herself at him.

 _Blegh._ Lucy vomited a little in her mouth when his arms closed around her.

"He's after me, help me please!" she let her body tremble in fear, more like disgust, as she clung to his chest.

"Oh don't you worry my dear. I'll take you somewhere he will never find you," the creep said not quite achieving the comforting tone he was most likely going for. Some evil just could not be repressed.

"Really?" she looked up at him letting the fake tears well up in her large brown Bambi eyes – that's what Erik calls them – buying her just a little more time.

"Really." His smile made her want to vomit…again.

"Well actually," she said ducking out of his arms as quickly as possible and tightening her whip. "I'm the one taking you somewhere."

She pulled her whip tight and with a yep the man fell back as his legs were pulled out from under him, head hitting a boulder with a sickening crack on his way down. Lucy stared at him for a moment, not moving. The very thought she'd have to willingly touch him again made her skin crawl.

Sighing in resignation Lucy "ladied up" adjusting her proverbial balls and moved over to the man and checked his head injury to make sure he wasn't going to die on her any time soon. Since she was already having to touch him she also took the opportunity to tie him up nice and secure herself with the magic cancelling rope she always kept in her magical storage instead of subjecting Virgo to do it; the maid spirit liked punishment but this would have just been cruel.

That done Lucy pulled out her FT com and called her self-proclaimed "Big Brother".

"Hey, do you still have any contacts in White Sea? I think I found something they lost." Lucy smiled brightly panning the device so Laxus could see her specially gift wrapped baddie.

-LCL-

"No way Fido! I will not be your girlfriend!" was the first thing Cristoff heard when he got to the cabin. It was…not what he'd expected. Cristoff moved around to the side of the cabin where the sound was coming from.

"I don't care if you're lonely!" the woman's voice screamed again and this time he could see her as well and he had a hard time believing what he was right before his eyes. _Was this the woman who caught Drake? Wasn't she a mage? Why wasn't she using her magic? What the hell was going on?_

"No he is not my courting gift to you. I caught him for someone else entirely." Cristoff watched as the woman huffed crossing her arms under an ample chest and turning her head away from what had to be 8 solid feet of fur covered muscle holding said woman upside down by her ankles. The action had let her tiny skirt flipping up exposing her very pretty bright red lacey lingerie.

"What do you mean you let me? You weren't even there." The woman looked back at her assailant finger pointed accusingly, eyes hard and narrowed. Cristoff couldn't help find her absolutely adorable even when she was completely dirty with leaves knotted in her blonde hair. He always did like blondes. Her ranting was a little confusing though, _maybe she was been hit by a stray spell from Drake?_

"You're just lucky your owner doesn't want you harmed or I would have knocked you out just like I did him and dragged your ass back home days ago!" she seethed pointing to a lump near the beast's feet.

 _That must be Drake and explains why she's just hanging around yelling._ Moving to get a closer look at the monster the wind shifted unexpectedly and he froze.

 _She is_ my _girlfriend, you can't have her!_ the dragon slayer heard in his head and suddenly the woman's one sided conversation made a lot more sense.

"He can't be injured?" he asked the woman who was struggling to push away from the monster's, _Fido she called him_ , chest but his arms now had her pinned tightly in place protectively as Cristoff walked out from the building's shadows.

"I wouldn't be in this position if he could," was her muffled response as she struggled more to try and work space between her and her captor fruitlessly.

Cristoff looked right in the creature's eyes and whispered, "Sleep", and before the woman could scream or be crushed under Fido's massive body as he collapsed to the ground Cristoff plucked her right out of its arms and took a few steps back.

Lucy looked up into the eyes of the man that now held her securely in his strong arms and she was in awe. They were deep dark blue and had the tiniest flecks of silver in them, it was just like looking at the night sky. He was handsome with hair so black in glinted blue in the sun, tall and heavily muscled. Before she lost herself completely in his eyes Lucy looked down toward Fido and smiled in relief resting her head on his chest. She could finally go home, well Cobra's home, and take a nice long bath.

"Thank you for that," she smiled brightly looking up at the man again letting her fingers run down the part of his chest exposed from his opened shirt.

Cristoff growled softly at the feeling, his blood heating easier than normal because of the effects the almost full moon was having on him. He'd been too wound up with the stress of his mission until now to notice but now he could tell the full moon was only 2 days away making her light caresses leave trails of goosebumps in their wake stirring his arousal. The woman shivered in response as her arousal spiked briefly.

Before he could pin this woman up against the cabin and ravish her completely, forgetting all about Drake in the process, Cristoff set her down softly. Duty first.

"You're very welcome," he couldn't help purring in her ear before moving away.

"Are you here to pick up the trash?" Lucy bluntly asked gesturing to her prized catch trying to focus on the task at hand instead of the very naughty things his growl brought to her mind. While he might not be able to read her soul, he was still obviously a dragon slayer and Boscan on top of that. Not at all a bad option to take as a casual partner, maybe a new potential hump buddy if he was interested in the occasional meet up? Couldn't hurt to ask…

"I am." He reluctantly moved over to Drake's prone figure. Pressing the small button on the side of the small device Cristoff then dropped it right on top of the bleeding lump and watched as he flashed away.

"Cristoff at your service." He bowed dramatically. "I was asked to stay and help you complete your job since it was catching our dark mage that interrupted you earlier. I'll admit, I'd have invented a reason to stay here with you myself after meeting you."

Cristoff's grin turned predatorial as he sauntered back up to her petit frame. "Do you have a name kitten?"

"Lucy," she gulped harshly trembling with sudden need. His kind of behavior had always been her weakness.

"Lu-cy, what's say we get you cleaned up a little?" he purred again this time pulling her close.

"So… not promised then?" She squeaked when all he did was pinch her ass. "Do you think there's a running shower in there?" Lucy pressed more into the man; like she was really going to turn down his advances? She let her hands roam down his back loving how skin tight his black leather vest was.

"And a tub big enough for the both of us." Cristoff said nipping her ear after he swiftly picked her up carrying her inside. Fuck he loved how she smelled, like strawberries and cream, even under all the dirt and sweat; he couldn't wait to scrub every inch of her clean.

"How long until Fido wakes up?" Lucy she snaking one of her hand down to squeeze his firm ass. _Yahtzee!_ She couldn't help but think.

"4 to 5 hours for now at least," he growled again sealing her lips with his plunging his tongue in her mouth getting his first taste and loving every second of it. Cristoff was through the cabin and into the largest bathroom as quickly as his distracted mind could get him there shredding what was left of Lucy's clothes on the way.

Lucy shivered as the cold ties pressed again her naked back in contrast to Cristoff's sun heated skin. It was official, it had been way too long since she felt the pleasures of the flesh crashing through her body, completely her own doing too as she'd kept herself overly busy working.

She groaned and arched her breasts more firmly into Cristoff's callused hands as she reached back for the dial and turned the water on.

Cristoff hissed as the cold well water sprayed over his head but too focus on the small rivulets running between Lucy's large perky breasts to move away.

"Gods you're so perfect," he growled letting his tongue lap up the water on her skin when a twig buried in her hair stabbed him in the hand. Eyes silvered, Cristoff's dragon soul peaked out at the perceived defiance before recognizing the bedraggled state the female in his arms was in.

Offended at his human's behavior the dragon soul took full control aided by the strength of the moons invisible light even now streaming in the large bathroom window. He gentled his touches lifting his leg onto the edge to lift the woman's body so she straddled his thigh.

Wordlessly the dragon kissed her tantalizing mouth as his hands gently groomed her hair freeing it of all debris using the warming water and his claws to gently smooth out all the dirt and tangles from her silkly golden hair, it reminded him of the treasures in his horde. A smile tugged at his lips, as the woman sighed happily when with lathered hands he massaged her scalp. She responded correctly to his attentions, going lax with trust in his care. _Very suitable for a potential mate_ , his grin spread as he massaged the scentless shampoo slowly into her skin.

"Hmmm that feels so good," Lucy sighed picking up some of the thick bubbles sliding over her skin with her hands then running them into his hair.

Cristoff's dragon rumbled in delight as the woman saw to his needs for grooming as well. He moved them both under the direct spray to wash the bubbles away. Looking down, now satisfied this female was now properly groomed he ran his hands freely down her sides, over her wide shapely hips, _perfect to carry many hatchlings,_ over her firm ass and hardened thighs.

 _This female is strong, beautiful, trusting, responsive, caring,_ the dragon soul listed idly, hands back on her hips moving her body back and forth, her sex up and down his thigh roughly.

Lucy twitched, nails biting into tanned muscled shoulders as the heat in her stomach tightened again as the friction on her clit brought her closer to climax. She could feel his hard, hot erection glide over her leg and hip igniting her need for this man higher.

Cristoff's dragon rumbled when the woman moved a hand down his chest and palmed his neglected member, pressing it into her thigh so with each thrust she ground over his leg it was enveloped in her smooth slick pale skin. _She likes it a little rough and sees to my needs yet again. This female is getting better and better. Definitely mate material but requires further study._

With one thumb pressed against her sensitive clit the dragon soul, born of the dragon magic from Nurem the lunar dragon and Cristoff's young pure soul, sent the delightful young woman over the edge of pleasure.

"Cristoff," Lucy cried out, body locked up and shaking as wave over wave of built up pleasure surged through her body.

Satisfied with the way she called to him in ecstasy the dragon receded for the time being until more opportunities for further testing this potential mate came around, jealously guarding his thoughts from his other half until he was certain.

Cristoff's mind cleared taking in the way Lucy lax body shuttered in release against his chest vaguely surprised he'd hazed out, something that only ever happened during the second night of the full moon when the moon was at its peak bathing Earthland, and him, with its magic, making him "moon drunk" and incredibly horny.

Lucy's small hand wrapping around his aching length drew his attention away from the small oddity and back on the woman he still had ample ideas in ravaging her to work through. As he lifted her legs, knees cradled in his elbows, Cristoff let his dick glide between Lucy's sensitive folds, he head teasing her channel.

"I'm a little," Lucy paused, lungs catching as a finger probed her asshole, "ashamed I didn't get you oooOOOF," her throat tightened when both his thick cock and fingers sunk into her body, "the first time with me," she heaved, breasts bouncing wildly as Cristoff started to move.

"Mmmm, get used to it my lady. I'm Boscan and a lunar dragon slayer on the cusp of the full moon." Cristoff's voice came out gruff and a little strained.

"That sounds like a challenge to me. Now that I'm warmed uP," Lucy squeaked when Cristoff's hot mouth enveloped her nipple, "you're going to have to work harder."

Lucy clenched her core suddenly, rotated her hips, bit down on his neck over his pulse and growled deep in her throat, a technique she'd picked up from Rogue – the shadow dragon slayer loved being dominated.

The answering roar and tale tell spurts of heat deep in her womb had Lucy grinning blindingly as she looked up into his heavenly eyes haloed in bright silver.

"One to one," she smirked one side of her lip lifted to show off her non-existent fang in challenge.

"You're playing with fire Kitten," Cristoff warned but didn't move still fairly hard and buried deep within her, a little shocked she'd forced his end just like that then challenged him for dominance. He knew she wasn't a slayer but still her mannerisms were dead on to how his sister Emizadi, a solar dragon slayer, acted. His dragon was purring at the prospect.

Lucy reached to the side shutting off the water.

"I know what I'm doing," she leaned forward nipping at his full bottom lip as she rolled her hips and growled again.

"Oh this is going to be fun." Cristoff smirked wickedly as more silver pushed into his eyes.

-LCL-

Four days, four exciting full days of an insatiable lusty dragon slayer later and Lucy couldn't pry the grin off her face if she tried. It was inevitable that Cristoff won their little challenge as fueled by the moon as he'd been but thanks to the frequent use of a rejuvenation spell by the magically drunk slayer the count was closer than it should have been.

If that wasn't enough to leave her sated and happy for the days to come Cristoff even told her she earned the bounty of 10 million jewel for capturing Drake Eve, the scum bag she surprised attacked in the forest. Lucy was no longer even a little upset at all how this job had turned out.

Hand in hand with a much more subdued Fido, four days spent either listening to the pair going at it or dreaming happy dreams of home with his master could do that to anyone, Lucy waved goodbye to the man with the stars in his eyes before she teleported them back to her client's home using the lacrima Mest had helped setup for her after an incident where Wendy freaked out because she'd been late in returning to the guild after from a difficult job.

The man was so wrapped around the 16 year old female slayer's pinky he'd happily set up a rechargeable multi use direct line lacrima for the sky maiden's kin just for her peace of mind.

Cristoff's smile faded just a little when he watched the blonde blur then vanish. He really liked being with her the past few completely uninterrupted days and a little disappointed his dragon hadn't said she was their mate. From what he knew of the woman so far she sounded like such a good match for him. Pushing those feelings aside, Cristoff knew if he let his romantic imagination free reign he'd only end up breaking not only his heart but potentially hers as well in the end.

 _Stupid silent dragon,_ he thought before taking a series of moon shifts back to White Sea to check in with Kaleb.

-End of Chapter-


	6. Day 4: Concede

Day 4: Concede

Year x788: April; Present

Cristoff left Bickslow's house giving the small tatsu some time to come to terms with the reality of their new situation. An unexpected pregnancy had a way of changing people's lives at the best of times, an unexpected pregnancy for a newly mated dragon slayer pair…complicated. It was going to be easier than it could have been since Lucy already lived with them and was a close friend but there would still be a lot the trio would have to get used to as Cobra's instincts kicked into high gear.

Moving slowly toward the Fairy Tail guild hall Cristoff internally shook his head. Things were turning out a little more complicated for him as well. After seeing Lucy again, this time carrying little hatchlings, his bastard dragon had actually shared all of his memories of their time together with his thoughts on the woman. Nothing like the threat of Lucy being out of his reach to loosen his proverbial tongue.

Fists clenched nails biting into his palms, Cristoff wished Nurem, his dragoness mother, had explained the whole mate thing more clearly. She'd made it sound like there was only one person out there for him, that he had to wait to fall in love until he found them. High level his mother was correct but from what he was getting from his pouting internal dragon there was some nuances that he hadn't understood.

It seemed that his future mate wasn't "fated" to be with him so much they were to be chosen by the dragon soul that was a part of him after some time and thoughtful consideration. Not falling in love with anyone without his dragon's approval was still wise because that part of him would always have the final say but Cristoff would have taken more time getting to know a few people he'd been especially attracted to before now if he'd known.

Fuck his selfish dragon. As it turned out even his memory hazed nights of wild orgies during the full moon wasn't just because he was drunk on power so much as his dragon was hording the memories of all the times he was powerful enough to take control. It was a weird thought since he was a part of him but whatever.

Entering the guild Cristoff spotted the blonde he was looking for completely ignoring the obvious interest many of the mages around him was showing, the murmurs, the scent of arousal. For once in his life he was not in the mood, not when he and his dragon were both interested in a cute little blonde as a mate that he couldn't touch with any intimacy until after the hatchlings were weaned. It was time he was going to spend getting closer to Lucy and hopefully by the time he could act his dragon would have made his decision.

"Laxus," he greeted kindly with a back slap knowing his guarded kin disliked public displays of affection.

"Cris? Hey man what brings you here?" Laxus smiled leading the other man to his office so they could catch up.

"Do you really have to ask?" he eyed the lighting slayer from the corner of his eye.

"Oh? Oh!" Comprehension dawned. Why he hadn't thought until now that the entire Pradesh clan would likely descend en masse on Magnolia after Bickslow and Cobra finished mating was beyond him.

"So Bix give you all the all clear then? He hasn't so much as sent me a quick text." Laxus settle in the comfortable arm chair offering Cristoff the one to its side nearer the heating lacrima, something he had specifically so Lucy didn't get chilled when she spent time with him while he worked.

Cristoff settled comfortably discretely breathing in the sweet fragrance of the woman he couldn't keep from his thoughts, he scent thick on the chair.

"Yes and no. Bix and Cobra aren't ready to be out in public yet. Some things happened with them and Lucy." Cristoff immediately noticed how his friend tensed so he watched him closely as he continued. "They're all fine, no one is hurt, it's just…" He wasn't sure how to put this.

"Just tell me the facts Cris. The sooner I know the sooner I can decide whose asses need kicking. What happened to my kin?"

"Lucy was with Bickslow and Cobra during the unexpected mating and ended up pregnant with their children."

Silence pervaded the room as Laxus tried to pull his jaw up off the floor. It wasn't surprising to him that the three had finally wound up in bed together, they all got along really well and Lucy had frequented both men's beds with some regularity. Laxus figured it was only a matter of time before she convinced them to have a threesome. What had him surprised was the pregnant bit. All three of them were religious in being safe went it came to sex and took some serious precautions. He'd made sure to take Lucy to get her first infertility shot and to pick up some contraceptive wafers when she started her sexual discovery; it had been fucking awkward as hell but he didn't want her getting sick or knocked up from some random prick.

"How?"

"The mating magic Lax, it makes slayers and their mates really fertile and Lucy was literally sandwiched between their bodies so the magic went right through her likely making her fertile too. With the very essences of Bix and Cobra bonding and a very fertile Lucy right there in the mix? Yeah, their seed took and she's their Brood-Mother."

"You said they're all ok though, right? Lucy's been feeling… sick…lately." Slowly the dots connected, morning sickness, and an inexplicable joy filled his chest as understanding hit. Was it because his best friend was finally getting to start the family Laxus knew he dreamed of? Because Lucy was the one making that happen? Or simply because his little tatsu, his family, was expanding and getting stronger? He didn't know but the happy tears burned his eyes.

"They're all just fine. I wanted to warn you Cobra's going to be very protective around Lucy while she's pregnant and likely until she's no longer breast feeding, especially around unmated male slayers."

"Ah," Laxus chuckled shrugging. "No worries here. Gajeel is mated to Levy and Natsu's with Gray."

"Forgetting someone Laxus? I know Bix is your kin but I don't know if Cobra's dragon will accept you, he barely accepted me being around her and I'm his kin, adopted brother as well as cousins by blood."

Laxus sighed. It was going to come out soon anyways, couldn't keep it from them for much longer. He selfishly loved having Lucy separated from the Pradesh family, had made sure she was always out of town when any of them came to visit before but now his efforts to keep as much of her attention to himself were moot; no way the family wasn't going to fawn over the woman carrying Bix's kid. He knew once she met the large openly affectionate clan they'd all fall for her and she them so he could say bye bye to bonding time with his little sister.

"She's my kin too Cris, the one I called you about before I rebuilt Fairy Tail. Cobra knows I'm not going to try and seduce her, she's like my little sister; it would be fucking twisted."

Cristoff blinked… "The one who seduced Freed?" He'd had a hell of a time teasing Farron and Kaleb both about a Fioren woman succeeding where they both had so far failed especially since the man tended to prefer male partners in general.

"He's the one who seduced her, actually, was her first too. Which reminds me, I better warn Freed and Rogue about the situation before they accidentally cross the line now she's pregnant…Loke will have inevitably found out before she did."

"What?" _How many males are after my potential mate? They must be properly subdued. I am Alpha, I have first choice!_ His dragon snarled.

Laxus watched as Cristoff's eyes flashed silver at his thoughtless comment but he was glad he'd said it. It seems the lunar slayer was already attached to trouble magnet that was his little kin.

"Lucy has a taste for skilled, power males. Has a few she tends to jump between she knows aren't going to become jealous assholes." Laxus watched as Cristoff's eyes started darkening back to normal so he continued keeping his comments as nonchalant as possible; teasing Cristoff was one thing, a dragon was a whole other matter.

"She's not Freed's other half or Rogue's mate and Loke couldn't commit to one woman I he tried plus he's one of her celestial spirits… I don't pretend to understand the bond those two have but an actual relationship would never work out."

Cristoff relaxed. So far the field was still clear and his dragon still had the time needed to continue his deliberations without threat. He was actually impressed with Lucy's foresight in partners once he thought clearly about it. The most trouble he and his siblings had back home were that they were all fairly generous with their favors, he, Vander and Emi more than the others, and drew the attention from those around them easily. It made finding people to casually share pleasure with more difficult as time passed since previous partners tended to try and make something more out of their chance encounters. The ever increasing piles of marriage offers they all got weekly from people that were "in love" with them was a testament to that.

Lucy, by keeping her circle small with everyone understanding things would never be more, got the release she needed without a string of fans following her around making finding someone she could fall in love with that much harder.

"Wait, Lucy's your kin?" he finally understood what Laxus said before all the noise had him on edge. Fucking selfish dragons and their hording. Now all of Laxus's previous actions concerning the woman made much more sense.

-LCL-

Cobra watched as Bickslow and Lucy played with Bickslow's babies twirling and dancing overjoyed now that their minds had come to terms with the situation. He was happy too. Pride and contentment he never remembered feeling before swelled in his chest but he wasn't the jump around like a little child type. He much preferred watching them play while his listened to the beautiful sound of the souls together; Lucy's, Bickslow's and his hatchlings. Ever since their mating he could hear Bickslow golden tones and it was a balm to his soul giving him the assurance that they really could do this.

A small smile quirked his lips when Papa bopped Bickslow on the head when the play had gotten "too rough for the Hime". For the first time he could remember Cobra was looking forward to the future.

The sound of a rumbling belly had Cobra on his feet and heading to the kitchen with purpose. Finally this was something he knew he could handle. If Lucy and his hatchlings were hungry he was going to make the best fucking food for his rapidly growing family. Besides, Bickslow was hopeless when it came to cooking and Lucy, while pretty good in the kitchen, excelled more in baking breads and sweets area than substantial meals, something Cobra had always had a knack for.

-LCL-

Year x787: October; Six Months Before Present

"You're not actually going to Hisui's coronation ball are you?"

"Someone has to and as an Ambassador it seems the task has fallen to me."

"What you're not saying is Hisui requested your attendance specifically." Farron looked at his brother in surprise. He'd been keeping all his thoughts close to his chest like usual so there was no way Kaleb'd learned that from him.

"She did," was all he said as he continued to pack.

"Farron, be careful. I met her a few years ago. She's not as bad as Kurino was but even then she wasn't the most thoughtful. She's the kind of person willing to do anything at all if she thinks it's for the greater good."

"So what, you're worried she might think having me by her side might be the best for her people and refuse to let me leave?" Farron couldn't hold back his wry grin. The very idea was ridiculous. He knew the woman had made some serious mistakes in the past but she was young. For all he knew she could have matured during the war and learned from her mistakes. She was beautiful too so he wouldn't mind getting to know her better before counting her out.

"I'm saying that she's been sending arranged marriage offers to Father exclusively for one of us for the past 5 years and that she isn't the most mentally stable person I've met. She reminds me of Kurino before the Succubus Wars in Joya." Kaleb folded his arms and looked out the window.

Farron froze. It was no secret Bosco's once Crown Princess had been obsessed with him since they had both been children and met during one of the frequent visits his father had made to the palace back then. What wasn't so commonly known was that she'd forced both Cristoff and Kaleb to her bed where she raped and brutalized them frustrated because she couldn't do the same to him; his political connections were too high. The saddest part of it all was he and his father had been clueless to the fact the sex hadn't been consensual and to the injuries they sustained during the encounters until after Kurino had been executed for treason.

It all came out, though, after the fact when the paperwork the woman submitted to force Cristoff into being her consort surfaced, a role that would have made his brother essentially her sex slave until she decided to release him. His father had almost lost it when he saw Altiene's signature on the documents and confronted the man only to learn about everything else his sons had suffered during a heartfelt apology.

Bosco's king had been just as deceived by his daughter as everyone else, key members of the Steel Council covering up all of her degrading behavior to stay in her favor. King Altiene had been under the misconception that Cristoff wanted to be with his daughter and only refused to marry her because she wasn't his mate. Kurino had said Cristoff was the one who suggested she make him her consort so they could be together until the time he found his mate, then she would release him and keep and children produced by the union as her heirs.

The woman was deceitful to the last. If Hisui reminded Kaleb of Kurino…

"I concede, you win but there's no way for me to back out from going now."

"Just, be careful around her," Kaleb warned.

"She won't even know I'm there after I present Bosco's gift," Farron agreed. The last thing he needed was another crazy woman chasing after him, especially since this one would already be a queen with no one to step in if she got out of hand.

-LCL-

"Laxus I don't want to go and you can't make me!" Lucy shouted waving an invitation in the air.

"You have to go Lucy. Each guild is sending someone a representative so she can honor all the guilds following the ceremony for their help fighting off Alvarez's armies and she asked for you specifically so she could acknowledge what you did to the nation."

"All I did was cast a spell to hold Arcnologia still. You and the other slayers actually killed him."

"Cast a spell? Lucy, you were able to combine the magic from every ally we had into the Fairy Sphere spell in order to trap a dragon that could consume any and all kinds of magic. Without you cutting him off from his major source of strength Natsu and the rest of us would never had stood a chance in defeating him."

Lucy blushed crimson. When he said it like that it made what she'd done sound a whole lot more badass than she thought it was. Still…

"I don't like the woman. She was willing to sacrifice my life for her plans to open the Eclipse Gate. Not only that, her plan was unethical and would have destroyed the very fabric of time if she succeeded. And and and she's fucking selfish. If she really believed so strongly in her ideas to willingly kill innocent people she should be protecting, she should have been willing to sacrifice her own life not mine the self-entitled bitch. And let's not forget she almost cost the lives of all my spirits and the Celestial King probably destroying Earthland as we know it in the aftermath. Tell me, can you think of one redeeming quality she has? Anything she's ever done that has even remotely turned out well?"

Laxus wrapped Lucy up in his arms as she started to shake in anger. He knew after learning the full circumstances behind the Eclipse Gate and her mother Lucy's feeling towards Princess Hisui had turned for the worst but he'd hadn't realized why until now.

Lucy's mother had told King Toma to have the gate destroyed, Layla's last request before she died from the magic deficiency disease opening the Eclipse Gate without all the Zodiac keys caused. Lucy came to him in tears after the war ended telling him all about what she learned, cursed Zeref and her ancestor Anna creatively for being over powered idiots for creating it in the first place but she never mentioned Hisui's direct involvement with the gate.

Every mage in Crocus the night the GMG ended knew she was behind the Dragons being set loose on Crocus but not exactly everything she'd planned to do to see it fulfilled. Now he understood.

Hisui not only denied Lucy's mother her final request but had planned to kill Lucy off the same way when she was more than capable to make that sacrifice for herself. Then all the fallout after she naively believed future Rogue only to makes things worse running off half-cocked believing she still knew what was best…again.

Laxus found himself hating their future queen as well.

"Fuck, you know I can't but she's still going to be our queen. Don't you think it's safer for you to keep the woman close so maybe you can stop any bat-shit crazy plans she might have in the future before she has a chance to act on them? You know, enemies closer or whatever the hell they say?"

"She's not my responsibility!" Lucy continued to argue.

"Isn't she though? I mean you're the Starbringer right? Didn't Kalperdean tell you that title meant you had the responsibility to protect the Celestial Realm and Spirits from dark celestial mages like Princess Hisui is likely to become if she isn't watched? If you don't keep an eye on her now what kind of problems do you think she'd cause for you in the future?"

Lucy grunted. She couldn't argue that. Dean Kalperdean had finally taken the time to explain to Lucy why almost everyone there referred to her as Starbringer instead of Lucy which meant… Laxus was right. It would be much easier to stop Hisui's crazy ideas before they started than during the actual crisis.

There was no avoiding it, she would have to go and to pretend she could still stand being around the woman in the future with a fake smile on her face.

"I should find some way to strip celestial spirit magic from people like her. It isn't like other types since it pulls magic and beings from another world so there should be a way to stop people abusing it." Lucy huffed once more before leaving Laxus's office to go pack.

-LCL-

Mercurius, just like every other countries' palaces, was huge, ostentatious and so filled with priceless works of art rarely enjoyed by the building's occupants it should be a crime. Farron just had to shake his head. There was impressing dignitaries from other nations to give you power and leverage over them but for such a small country that had seen so much war and devastation from dark guilds in the recent past the oldest Pradesh had been hoping for a little more moderation from the Fiore's.

Farron continued his self-guided tour of the palace taking Kaleb's words to heart. In the 5 minutes he'd interacted with Queen Hisui to present Bosco's congratulatory gift recognizing her as Fiore's sovereign he'd glimpsed a madness in her eyes that did indeed remind him of a young Kurino. It was hard but after that Farron managed to stay well away from all the events for this celebratory week without offending anyone.

The only problem he had was trying to stave off boredom with so much free time on his hands. It was too bad his normal work had been delegated to others in the consulate while he was here, they would have been filled a few hours of his day. Fortunately tomorrow morning he was flying back home well away from Fioren influence and back to his normal life.

"Lady Heartfilia, please reconsider. Her Highness has been under a lot of stress lately."

"Lately? She's showed an irresponsibility when it comes to her magic since I was 10 and it has only gotten worse or have you forgotten the Eclipse Gate fiasco Arcadios? If she's not going to learn from that then what? Does she need to hold a future version of herself in her arms as their life slips away because apparently seeing the devastation she's already caused to this country and the Spirit Realm hasn't been enough? How could you let her even think of doing this?" a woman hissed and Farron was intrigued. It was rare to hear someone speak out so openly against the beautiful beloved new queen especially to the woman's inner circle.

Arcadios was Queen Hisui's personal guard, The White Knight, and instead of arresting this Heartfilia woman, why did that name sound familiar, he was pleading for her mercy. Was it because she knew condemning details that might undermine Hisui's rule if they were made public? The only reason he knew what she was had meantioned was because one of his brothers had been there.

"She is my Queen, it is not my place to question her judgement."

"I call bullshit! That's probably why this has happened in the first place. No one has taken the time to take Hisui in hand or if they tired you probably took care of them. Oh…my…fucking…that's what happened. Well guess what? No matter what you are thinking about doing to save your precious princess from actually suffering the consequences of her actions I'll have you know it wasn't me who stripped her of magic. I my be Starbringer but even I don't have that kind of power. This came straight down from the Celestial Spirit King and his word is binding and trust me, that wasn't all she should be worried about."

"What? What do you mean?" Farron was glad the soldier asked because he really wanted to know too.

"What I mean is that tattoo around her neck does more than lock away her magic. It also monitors everything she does. If she tries to order or corrupt another celestial spirit mage into doing her dirty work for her that tattoo will kill her."

"No!" Arcadios gasped in disbelief. "Why? What has she done that is so bad? Her heart's always been in the right place."

"What has she done wrong? How about almost triggering the same curse on herself that caused Zeref Dragneel to go insane until he became the great Black Wizard Zeref, plague to humanity, creator of the Eclipse Gate, Emperor of Alvarez, and the very cause of the war we're currently celebrating the end of with her latest stunt? Had I not showed up when I did…" the woman let her thought hang in the air.

It was silent in the halls, only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. Farron peaked around the corner to see what was going on more curious than he would ever admit to being. It was at this moment he understood his youngest brother just a little bit better. Spying could be exhilarating. He watched as the fury drained from the petite blonde woman her eyes softening on the man kneeling at her feet. It was then Farron was reminded of Miss Layla, one of his Father's oldest friends before she died.

This woman was the spitting image of Layla, she had to be her daughter.

"I'll speak to the Spirit King, see if we can't get Hisui into some sort of therapy while she dreams or something so it's more likely to take. If she shows true improvement maybe she can earn her magic back. I can only promise to speak to him but she'll need someone willing to stand up to her here too."

Farron watched as the large man grasped the young woman's hands.

"Thank you Lady Heartfilia. It is all I can ask for. I will do my best to act as wiser counsel to her in the future."

The woman rolled her eyes playfully and giggled, her palm cupping the man's face forcing him to look up at her bright smile.

"Really Arcadios call me Lucy? I left that life a long time ago."

Farron was charmed. This young woman was equal parts fire and care, returning to the defeated man his honor and giving him purpose without so much as acknowledging his failing in the first place. Arcadios left the hall standing tall and proud. _Maybe Fiore won't be such a lost cause after all if Hisui gets the help Kurino never did…_

Lucy smiled as she watched the loyal royal guard leave wishing there were more people like him in the world. She tuned ready to go back home. _Maybe I can catch the overnight to Magnolia if it isn't too late-_

"Oomph!" Lucy crashed into something her momentum sending her falling forward. Eyes closed bracing for impact she was surprised instead when magic gently buffed against her and she settled softly on the ground.

"Hello there," the ground underneath her greeted as it moved… _wait a minute, that can't be right,_ she thought finally opening her eyes.

"You're not the floor." Lucy blushed, the stupid words were out of her mouth before she could shut it down.

"No, can't say that I am," Farron smiled very much enjoying her embarrassment and the fact that she'd yet to notice she was straddling him quite intimately.

"Umm," Lucy shifted, hands braced on the floor by the man's head now. She knew she should get up, put some distance between them before she embarrassed herself more but he felt so good under her now that she had her wits about to realize she was onto of an incredibly attractive man. His too dark honey gold hair was like a halo around pale blue bright eyes, medium full lips set under his long straight regal nose. His skin was darker than most Fioren's the color similar to the Boscans she's met. _Could I be so lucky and literally land on a sexy Boscan?_

Farron raised a singular curious eyebrow as the woman seemingly got lost in her thoughts.

"Are you promised?" the woman met his eyes briefly before flushing and turning to look away. The question was surprising coming from who he was fairly certain was Layla's daughter, the picture of conservative beauty the country was known for. He couldn't be sure though, the last time he'd seen the girl was when he was 4 and she'd just been born. Layla had brought her to Bosco with her when she'd come to help pull his father out of his grief.

"No, can't say that I am," he answered smirking when she turned to face him, her irritation at the unoriginal answer fighting with her embarrassment.

"Look, I'm sorry I knocked you down and for being so blunt. I've never done this before," she got up fixing her gown and turned her back to him. "If you weren't interested you could have just said so instead of mocking me."

Lucy stepped away absolutely mortified missing the way the man's face paled at her words. This was the first time she took the chance to act as Boscan's preferred taking the initiative to solicit pleasure and she couldn't believe he made fun of her like that. She was certain the man was Boscan now too since he didn't so much as look at all confused at her question.

Farron blinked, that reaction had been a first for him, then again this was the first time he'd come into Fiore proper; his usual assignments were in Desierto, Caelum, Joya and Sin, the more difficult posts. In those countries the women seemed just as aggressive and confident as a Boscan woman so he hadn't anticipated her taking his words quite like that. And people said he was diplomatic.

On his feet in a flash he chased after the retreating blonde following the gentle echoing sounds of her heals clicking against the marble floor in the distance.

-LCL-

Lucy made it to the palace gates before a hand clasped her shoulder. On reflex she turned hand already moving to strike.

Farron barely got his other arm up deflecting her blow then trapping her arm between his arm and side.

"I apologize for startling you I only wanted to finish our conversation." Wide warm brown eyes met his in confusion, Farron bit back a sigh. Those eyes were so familiar even after all these years.

"I didn't mean I wasn't interested," he let his hand move from her shoulder to gently hold her neck, thumb bushing her jaw line. "Because I am…very…interested." He was too. She was like a breath of fresh air in his world of schedules and double speak.

He dipped his head slowly giving her the chance to move before his lips pressed lightly over hers. They were soft and tasted like strawberries and chocolate. He smiled into the kiss after a minute when her arms wrapped around him firmly.

"I'm Lucy," she smiled sheepishly when Farron pulled back enough for them to breathe.

"Farron," he said closing the distance again, deepening the kiss, tongue brushing against her not quite so innocent tongue, arms tightening around pulling her soft curves closer.

-LCL-

"Mmmmm so good." Lucy stretched like a cat on the bed loving the way the silk sheets felt on her naked skin.

"Hey now, don't tell me you have an invisible lover in there or something? Have I already been replaced?"

Lucy tipped her head back seeing a very unashamedly naked man upside down leaned casually against the door frame a tray of food in hand.

"Oh yes!" Lucy squirmed a bit more letting her finger tips tease her pale skin. "And he never leaves me all alone." Her fingers pinched her hardened nipples making her groan.

"I went to answer the door for the food. It took two minutes at most." Farron stayed where he was enjoying the little impromptu show.

"But I wasn't hungry for food." Lucy licked her lips eyes focused on the heavy cock loving the way it twitched as he watched her fingers running over her slick slit. She moaned quietly.

"Hmmm, then what are you hungry for?" Farron moved and set the tray down watching as Lucy's eyes stay glued on him as she continued to tease her body.

"You," she purred a single digit breaching her entrance.

Farron settled on the bed, back against the headboard, dick fully hard as he continued to watch Lucy fuck her fingers, imaging they were his, feeling that silky tight warmth surrounding him once again.

"What are you waiting for?" His voice came out husky with need. They'd gone at it several times already but Lucy was like a sweet addiction he couldn't get enough of.

Jumping at the opportunity Lucy sat up quickly leaning forward, tongue darting out swiftly over the tip. "Mmm," she hummed moving to taste more from the vein on the side, around the head then over the slit again.

Farron groaned loving the way that little pink muscle quested over him in innocent curiosity. It was obvious she'd done this before, the lack of hesitation, the way she didn't linger in one place too long and the deft use of pressure showed that she'd had experience. It was the way her hands mapped his thighs, hips, ass, shaft and balls, like she'd gotten a new toy and enjoyed learning by doing instead of reading the manual first that gave it an air of innocence.

He hissed as Lucy's throat tightened over just his tip when she swallowed. "So good." His head fell back, unable to watch her any longer, he wanted to hold out for more.

"Mmmmm," she hummed picking up her speed loving how tight his abs flexed trying to hold back.

"Lucy!" he cried hips jolting as his release hammered through him.

"Delicious," Lucy sucked hard savoring the bitter tang with just a hint of sweetness. "Just how I like it. You must eat pineapple," she smirked kissed the tip lovingly before licking her lips making sure she caught every drop.

It felt good to be the one in control now. This man, against all her efforts, had controlled the pace between them all night, dragged out the foreplay until she was swearing, yelling at him to fuck her. When he did comply it was with long hard slow thrusts, making sure she felt every inch of him moving inside of her, driving her completely insane, bodies slick with sweat sliding over each other as he moved. She'd never been made love to so gently but with such deep passion, it was heady.

Farron pounced on her then as he started his own assault on her body once again. He always did like getting the last word.

-End of Chapter-


	7. Day 5: Particular

A/N: This next day contains some content heavy influenced, and by that I mean I was literally reading a scene from another story to try and do it justice, by MadSoulessQueen's Lahcy story _Win a Date!_ She gave me her permission to do so which I am incredibly grateful for. I think I really helped develop Lucy's growth as a character.

Also, if you haven't read _Win a Date!_ You should totally go look it up now and then the Lahcy week sequel she wrote for it because it is amazing love story and does a lot to help clear up a lot of misconceptions people might have about the BDSM community, it did for me!

That out of the I would also like to thank all of you for reaching out to me, following and favoring this story. I shall in hopes to brighten your days, or nights, with these stories that invade my brain so it's nice to know I succeeded.

Now on with Day 5. Much Love, Blas

* * *

Day 5: Particular

Year x786: April; Two Years Before Present

Hands trembling Bickslow could hardly believe what he was seeing. Not in a million years had he thought his adorable blonde roommate and friend had it in here to do something like this.

He'd gotten home late after seeing off his brother Vander who'd come to him, soul the worst he'd even seen, in desperate need of healing. It had taken the better part of the day to get each tear sewn up and purge all the infection from it enough his brother drifted off into a dreamless sleep; Bickslow only hoped whatever the fuck his brother was doing that was causing so much damage would stop soon.

Emotionally exhausted he hadn't paid attention to the name on the envelopes as he went through the mail opening them all and sorting the contents in neat piles so it was a shock when his fingers pulled out a stack of photos that had his heart in his throat, more still when he curiously started leafing through them seeing the blond bombshell he lived with becoming progressively more nude obviously stripping for whoever held the camera.

The way the lighting was done each photo captured an artistic line or curve instead of Lucy as a whole; it emphasized the curve of her hip, the way her hair fell, the arch of her neck, the way the shadows danced across her skin.

Finally she was bared in her naked glory on a dark bed, the next photo a silken rope bound over the tops of her breasts squeezing them together her dusky pink nipples erect, and the next had her knees bent, secured by her breasts leaving her completely vulnerable.

Fuck he'd always found Lucy to be extremely sexy but this was asking too much even for his prodigious self-control; it made her look so fucking god damned beautiful. He knew she wasn't at home, had planned to spend tonight out with Cana and Mira bar hopping so without further thought Bix opened his fly freeing his raging hard on from the building pressure of his restrictive pants, taking it in hand.

Her wrists were now bound, sex wet and glistening catching the flash just right. His grip tightened and moved a little faster. He could almost hear her needy whimper face strained in between pleasure and pain. Knot by perfectly placed knot the art of the design started taking form, intricate diamonds covered her pale skin, arms secured to her legs, breast practically begging to be freed, his cock swelled and pulsed at his near frantic pace.

"Lucy!" he grunted in release, the final photo Lucy completely wrapped up face contorted in pleasure.

-LCL-

Bar after bar the trio hopped, dancing, drinking, kissing, playing with boys, looking for men and while she'd worked up a nice buzz not one person had struck her fancy. She wanted someone strong, someone that made her feel tiny, safe in his arms while he fucked her to the brink and back.

Maybe it was her nerves holding her back from hooking up with a complete stranger? That was why she'd taken the time to track down Cana and Mira both to join her on her first foray into Magnolia's night life.

They'd had so much fun too. She told them about Laxus rebuilding the guild again, they told her all about what they'd been doing since they last saw her. The pair of women had her laughing all night long with their running commentaries as dud after dud was sent away.

In the end Cana went home with Mira and Lucy was walking back to the house alone. Maybe she was pushing herself too much but Lucy knew she needed to be able to do this, let the last of her learned beliefs of sex go, have the self-confidence to walk up to a man she desired.

Turning her key in the door Lucy was surprised to find the front door unlocked so late. Quietly she walked in, door shut with hardly a click, heels off she padded across the hardwood floors and made her way to the only light source coming from the living room and stopped.

Eyes wide Lucy watched as right before her eyes Bix masturbated on the sofa staring at something held in one hand as the other moved expertly over his excited erection. The sight was entrancing, a real life fantasy she somehow stumbled upon.

Glancing briefly at the photos she recognized herself tied up and her breathe hitched. Bickslow was masturbating to the photos Lahar had taken of her that one night. No one knew about it, that she had unexpectedly met his while at a club that catered to particular tastes, how after a handful of exchanged words they were almost paranormally attracted to each other. It had been her first time there, drawn by her curiosity in a lifestyle she didn't understand.

He'd opened that world to her, let her explore it with him to see if this was what she'd felt like she'd been missing in her life. They'd met a few times trying various dichotomies, each one exquisite but falling just shy of the mark. Still, being with him gave her a freedom she hadn't found anywhere else but they both knew in the end, it was not meant to be.

These pictures were to celebrate their time together, the things they learned about each other and themselves while Lahar had guided her safely through unknown waters. _Guess he finally managed to get them to me discreetly_ _only for Bix to suddenly act out of character and open my stuff…_

"Lucy!" Bickslow's rough voice called out and she no longer cared he'd opened her private mail, he looked too damn hot head thrown back, body twitching, spurts of cum shooting out.

"Yes?" Lucy answered then smiled at the panicked response she got.

Bickslow screamed body jerking in surprise sending him sprawling on the floor amongst the scattered photos and his own release.

"Lucy? I can explain," he said quickly from his spot on the ground watching as she slowly collected her photos waiting patiently for her to respond. He learned a long time ago when he could push the blonde and when to follow her lead; this incident was so far into the follow her lead range he didn't know it existed until now.

Lucy looked at the blank envelope and rolled her eyes. Lahar hadn't written anything on it but her name. _Good._ Flipping through each image she felt flushed, heat coiling between her legs. These had turned out even better than she'd imagined and made her long for the Magic Council Captain again.

Could she really blame Bickslow for doing what he did? Lahar had an eye for detail, the photos wouldn't look out of place in a gallery and she looked incredibly erotic. He was only human…Satisfied Lucy looked at Bickslow again. He was a complete mess, looked wrung out, his flaccid cock laying over his thigh.

She wanted to see him relaxed, reveling in the release of pleasure again. _He would be perfect,_ Lucy thought wondering why she hadn't thought of it sooner. Her friend was obviously just as attracted to her as she was him given what she'd walked in on plus he was Boscan, he would be skilled and could handle casual. While she knew him and was comfortable being around him she could try taking a bit of the initiative.

"I'm a lot better than these photos and your hand Bixy. You should have just asked."

"Cosplayer." The tension left his body at her suggestive comment relieved she wasn't angry at what had happened. "I know you and Freed have been hooking up since Blue Pegasus. He's one of my best friends and I haven't seen him this happy in years. There's no way I would ruin it for him just for pleasure I could find with someone else." It was the truth, had he not been so caught up in his need for stress release he would have shoved the photos back in the envelope and pretended he never saw them.

"Bix," Lucy giggled turning back towards the hall then glancing over her shoulder. "Freed and I aren't exclusive, never were. He knows I've had other partners and he's been sleeping with Hibiki for months now too. I hardly doubt he'd care."

Moving to the foot of the stairs, face remaining forward Lucy paused, "You know where I'll be. Think about it." With that she left.

Staring up at the ceiling Bickslow wondered when it was he became so easily shocked, so wrapped up in Fioren mentality he didn't notice that before. Lucy wasn't promised or engaged, he never saw her and Freed on "dates", she definitely wasn't the type of person to cheat on her partner and she'd been the one to suggest a more physical relationship just now.

His dick twitched just thinking about following the blonde up the stairs to her apartment on the third floor. A wide smile split his handsome face, tongue lollying out, Bix was on his feet clothes trailing after him as he ran up the stairs.

-LCL-

Year x 767: August; Twenty One Years Before Present

The house was quiet, too quiet for it to be the warm home he once shared with his Mommy and little brother. He felt so lost, so confused suffocated by the silence that consumed his home ever since they died. Tears welled up in his irritated eyes, puffy and sore from previous tears. He wanted his Daddy, wanted to hug him just so he knew he wasn't alone.

A disturbance downstairs started him from his grief and Farron got up to investigate, scared that something else bad had happened. His father had been away from home a lot lately, buried in work shutting everyone out. What if something bad happened to him too? Would Farron be alone for the rest of his life?

"Arman Tension Pradesh I am ashamed of you!" Farron heard the sound of a woman screaming at his father and he hurried toward the source. "You act as if you have nothing left in this life. What about little Farron? Have you thought about what Ganier would say to you right now if she could? And don't for one second think she can't see your disgraceful behavior. Yes she died, my best friend and your beautiful wife died on that horrific day but that doesn't mean she ceased to exist. She's still here absolutely distraught she can't do anything to stop your pain, to hold her little boy." Farron turned the corner just in time to see a beautiful blonde woman fall to her knees, arms crossed tightly across her body as if they would keep her from falling apart.

"Layla," his father said tears running down his face as he wrapped the woman up in his arms. Farron was jealous of this woman, jealous his father was holding her and not him. Why would he hold her and not him? A moment later his father's clear green eyes locked on him.

"Farron." His father's voice cracked one arm beckoning him forward and that was all it took. Farron sprinted as fast as his short little legs could carry him to his Daddy's arm tears streaming down his face.

"I miss Mommy and Zen," he wailed sandwiched between the two adults, body shaking.

"I do to baby, I do too," Arman cried for both his pain and his son's. Layla was right though, Ganier would hate to see them like this and if anyone could find a way to stay with him even after death took them it would be his beloved wife just to make sure he and Farron would both ok.

 _From this day forward Ganier, I promise you, I will live the life we planned, the life you always wanted but never got the chance to live. Our home will be filled with love, laughter and our children as they all grow up and make you so proud._

-LCL-

Farron notice his father had changed again after that day. He wasn't the Daddy he knew before they lost Mommy and Zen but at least this version loved him still, took him to work with him on occasion just to spend time together.

"Farron would you like to hold Lucy?" the woman who'd come and changed his world again but this time for the better offered, holding a little pink bundle out to him.

He nodded his head and took a seat right next to her, arms open to receive Lucy. Adjusting his grip a little so her small head was supported better, very important when holding babies, Farron looked down at the girl. He'd only ever held Zen before but the two couldn't have been more different. Lucy's little nose turned up a little at the end, her skin was more pale and pink. He ran his tiny fingers through the super soft thatch of wispy blond hair smiling when her huge brown eyes framed by long dark lashes opened looking right at him.

"Beautiful," he whispered fingers brushing over her little pudgy cheeks. Lucy smiled and giggled and for a moment he didn't feel the pain. He laughed back repeating the motion earning another little laugh for his effort. Farron laughed again looking up at his father and Miss Layla eyes bright for the first time in months.

"I think I'm a little jealous of your son Arman. That's the first time she's laughed," Layla chuckled hearts in her as at the tiny pair.

"Farron has always been exceptional." Arman's eyes were soft at hearing laughter at home again solidifying his resolve for the future.

Farron looked back down at the bundle in his arms delighted he was the first to make her laugh. "You're perfect," he announced placing a gentle kiss on her brow missing the quick flash of light from across the room.

-LCL-

Year x788: April; Present

Arman smiled, settled in the home he'd bought in Fiore years ago so Bickslow had a place to live where the family could stay when they came to visit, looking through the forgotten photo album. He lingered on a series of photos he had taken that summer when Layla had come to visit with little Lucy, Jude only being able to stay for two weeks in the middle of the trip.

Since the moment she smiled Farron had adored her taking every opportunity to hold and play with her that he could. It had been a sad day when the pair had to finally return to Fiore but that's when Arman knew what he needed to do.

He'd promised Ganier a large family and there were lots of children out there that needed to be loved and so he slowly adopted those children he came across when his chest would feel almost overwhelmingly warm with love at first sight.

There were many things he would wish he could go back in time to change: have more time with Ganier, made the trip to visit his good friend Layla before she passed, tried harder to be a part of Lucy's life after Layla died…but if he changed anything would he lose what he had now? He didn't regret his wonderful children and would risk losing any of them.

Arman turned the page to a naked Farron smiling brilliantly holding an equally naked baby Lucy on his tiny chest as he soaked in a bath. The little scamp had secretly secured Lucy from her bassinet that day and had them happily situated in a bubbly bath before he or Layla found him.

Chuckling Arman tucked the album into his briefcase as he stood to go downstairs for dinner. He was going to see the blonde tomorrow at his son's and as Lucy's Godfather it was his responsibility to embarrass her with baby photos to make up for lost time and if he got Farron to blush once at least a little he would consider himself accomplished.

-LCL-

Cristoff sat at the table with his family, each member looking at him expectantly. Settling his fork down the lunar slayer knew he couldn't keep them waiting much longer. This was the second time he had to make this announcement but not at least he was among people who would find it funny.

It didn't take long before the entire room was filled with laughter as Cristoff proceeded to tell the parts of the story he knew and the entire table erupted in cheers when his said the baby was Bickslow's and Cobra's, Lucy acting as the Brood Mother.

"So when do we get to meet this woman? She seems to bring some serious good luck to those around her," Xally asked excitedly, she was in her final year of medical school focusing on pediatrics so she looked forward to helping her brother as much as possible.

"I said I'd bring you all over around lunch time tomorrow so you could all meet Cobra first then Lucy just so his dragon doesn't lose his shit at the invasion."

"Vander," Arman's voice cut across the room. "You're not thinking about sneaking over early are you? That could be very bad for your health," he warned his youngest.

Vander's shoulder's slumped his evening plans thwarted. He still had no idea how his father did that. "Of course not."

"Good, now I expect you to all be on your best behavior. Lucy is inevitably stressed enough given the circumstances and that is not good for the child she's carrying."

"Children," Cristoff added.

"Children she's carrying." Arman looked like the cat that caught the canary mentally planning a shopping spree for much more baby stuff.

-LCL-

Zen stared out the window across the foreign city. He could feel his bonded was close, had felt her getting closer since the airship started flying towards Fiore. He hadn't realized until earlier today that he missed her until she was easily within reach but he couldn't go to her, at least not yet.

His brother was his priority since she was currently in no danger. He kept telling himself that over and over again but it wasn't working. Something wasn't right, he could feel it, but he didn't know what it was.

The second after he saw to his family Zen was going to go see her, make sure she was really ok. He wasn't sure what he was going to tell his family though, they didn't know about her, he'd kept it secret from everyone but one other to keep her safe. He didn't want to know what would happen to her if dark celestial mages found out that to have him they'd have to kill her first.

No, Dean Kalperdean was right. It was better for everyone to think that was his job since he was safe and secured in Cellis.

 _How am I going to slip away to check on her without raising a bunch of questions?_

-LCL-

Year 776: July; Twelve Years Before Present

"Look Mommy, Mr. Sclera got me keys just like yours," Lucy chirped holding the 2 silver keys to her chest eyes bright with joy.

"That's wonderful darling."

"Can you teach me how to call them Mommy? I want to meet my new friends."

"Of course darling. What do you say to Mr Sclera?"

"Thank you so much. I love them already!"

"Layla," Jude called quietly concern marring his brow. "Don't you think she is too young to be using magic? She's only six."

"I'm sorry Jude. I know I should have checked with you first but when I came across those keys I thought they would be perfect for Lucy given Layla's power. I did check that neither were very power. One's supposed to be a little dog and the other can look up the answer to just about anything. I thought companionship and knowledge would be just perfect." Jude's long term business associate looked nervous and kept glancing between him and Lucy as she showed off her birthday gift to everyone in the room smiling happily.

"Max's right Dear, those keys are perfect to begin with. Lucy's already showing signs of magic instability her powers are growing so fast. It can be dangerous for her if she doesn't start learning soon. I was going to bring this up to you earlier but never got the chance."

"Lucy's in danger?" the massive blonde looked at his little angel. He'd do absolutely anything to keep her safe and make her smile. If that meant scouring all of Earthland for gate keys so she can learn to control her magic? So be it, who cares what the nobility might think. They eventually accepted Layla, they will eventually accept Lucy too.

"Not yet but soon. Thank you Max for the very thoughtful gift."

-End of Chapter-

Oh and before I go, don't worry, Zen meets Lucy on day 6 and Emi and Xally on day 7!


	8. Day 6: Huge

Day 6: Huge

Year x786: November; A Year And A Half Before Present

Zen looked down from his perch high above downtown Cellis trying to find some measure of peace. Even after almost 2 full years he's spent here studying and training trying to understand his magic Zen was still plagued by obsessive men and women wanting to mate him no matter what his opinion was. He understood the involuntary draw his magic had on celestial based magic users and that he was surrounded by them here. He was in the mecca for all things stellar, a city built around the Academe Celestine, a university dedicated to the magic of the heavens and only accepted students that used celestial magic. Still, Dean Kalperdean, upon his arrival and with his approval before he ever agreed into coming here, created a bond with Zen that should have put a damper on any unnatural attraction his archangel magic forced on him and these magic users as the most powerful celestial mage here.

Their bond wasn't a mating one, Kalperdean was a happily married man and Zen didn't willfully swing that way, but one of servitude. It didn't sound great, especially to someone who'd been enslaved and abused for the better part of his life, and Zen at first wanted nothing to do with it when Kalperdean initially reached out to him with an opportunity to study here. _That_ was before Hester, before he'd been gang raped by him and a group of his friends right in the guild's bath house in Pelerno unable to fight off the influence of Hestor's magic stealing away his will.

Hestor was a powerful celestial mage of White Sea and he knowingly used his magic's compulsion effects on Zen to have a hell of a night with his equally as fucked up friends. Had it not been for Kaleb feeling his distress through the mental bond his brother had with each of his siblings and sending Vander and Cristoff to him when he did Zen didn't know if he could have ever escaped. The stellar spirit mage had been trying to force a mating bond by pushing him into exhaustion, hence the help of his friends, so he could gain the power boost mating him promised as well as a completely obedient and protective slave.

By accepting Dean Kalperdean's invitation to study his magic in Cellis and accept the servitude bond, Zen received protection from being influenced by anyone less powerful than the dean and a blood promise from the man himself that he would never willfully use the bond. It was circumventing his magic, giving it what it wanted – to serve and protect celestial magic – but without actually having to live only a half-life in fear of being enslaved again but this time both in body and soul.

The bond's protection would hold unless another celestial mage came along and defeated Kalperdean to the death in a battle over Zen or until the day Zen mated.

That was why to this day some of the mages here would randomly starts fights with others to prove their superiority in an attempt to woo him into mating them, since they couldn't force it, the school's dean way beyond their league. All of it was stupid. As talented as he was at it he hated fighting. To be more accurate he hated pointless fighting caused by selfish desires. If you were protecting your family, home or country from an aggressor trying to kill or conquer you, sign Zen up; he'd be on the front line to protect a person's right to live peacefully. But this?...

Not one of the people down there fighting had ever tried befriending him, tried getting to know him to see if maybe they'd hit it off and could spend the rest of his ageless life together without wanting driving each other insane.

They didn't want him. They lusted after his body, his power, the power he would give to whomever he mated. Zen would sooner kill them or die before submitting himself to a person like that, which given he'd already stated that any challenges made to Kalperdean for him would be fought to the death by him…that was the only outcomes those idiots' futures had. The worst part of it all was that for each mage that was obsessed with him there were at least five that weren't but because of the obsessed ones, none of the others could even get close without having to fight for their lives from the obsessed ones.

It left Zen with next to no one to talk to or spend his free time with.

One more month and Zen would be going home, he'd learned all he could about his magic here and he could hardly wait until he was no longer surrounded by people his magic had sway over. Shaking his head Zen took to the sky, large raven like wings propelled him high above the small city leaving all his concerns behind.

-LCL-

Lucy stepped off the hover boat onto the large stone pier. It was supported by massive squared pillars driven deep into the soil below the Grass Sea's surface and she marveled at the view. Never in her life could Lucy imagine the sheer magnitude of this celestial mage haven and center of learning or the beauty that surrounded it.

Cellis was a city built on a steep rocky outcropping from the Stargazer Mountain range bordering the Grass Sea in Bosco but even that did little to help describe what she was seeing. Buildings with sharp elegantly curved rooves dotted the mountain side in colors of bright blues, electric purples, pale pinks and slate greys with moonlit yellow stone paths leading everywhere. This oasis of magic was breathtaking. So enraptured by the view Lucy missed the approach of a large older gentleman.

"You must be Miss Heartfilia," the older gentleman smiled friendly calling her attention to him.

Lucy turned quickly to face the stranger and couldn't help her smile. Tall, heavily built, cropped grey hair, long matching beard with brilliant yellow eyes. He was just how the file HIbiki had given her describe.

"I am and you must be Dean Kalperdean. It is an honor to meet you," Lucy curtsied and bowed her head in respect. His works weren't as widely known as Kemu Zaelon, aka the mage Zekua Melon, but that had more to do with subject matter than talent. Zaelon wrote fiction heavy in adventure and romance while Kalperdean wrote magical studies about and high magic abilities in Celestial Magic. All of the books Lucy used to teach herself about summoning spirits were written by Kalperdean.

The dean chuckled and waved his hand in the air as if brushing aside all formalities. "Come now my dear, there is no need for the Starbringer to bow to this humble academic."

Lucy smiled in return and took the older mage's offered arm. She hated ideas of rank, mostly because it assigned worth to people that had done absolutely nothing to deserve it, but this man deserved her respect. That however didn't mean she couldn't accept his forays of friendliness.

"I really don't know why people call me that but I am grateful for your help in trying to find Aquarius." Lucy bit back her tears. Aquarius was not dead, destroying her key had not betrayed or killed her friend, Aquarius's key would only lost to Earthland for a little while. Everything Freed and Hibiki had helped her find said her key would be reborn but it never gave a timeframe. If it was back already Lucy was going to do all she could to honor her friend's non-request, hinted at by many of her spirit to find her key again, if not? By the time she left this wonderful place she would know the second it was.

The dean shook his head but smiled down at the petite young lady as he guided her through the city. "How could I refuse and miss the opportunity of studying the Stardress spells? Never in all my years have I heard of anyone else being able to use them. I've never even been able to get my spirits to so much as talk about them."

"For good reason. Trust me when I tell you, the sacrifice is not worth it."

"What do you mean?" he asked placing his free hand over hers comfortingly.

"The Celestial Spirit King will only bestow the power of Stardress to the mages who have summoned him at the blessing of a spirit they are particularly close to. Aquarius was the closest thing I had to a mother for years and it was my bond with her breaking that opened the way for the Spirit King to come to Earthland. I would never have done it but she had demanded I break her key and summon him so I wouldn't die. It's why I have to find her." Tears fell down Lucy's cheeks remembering just how hard making that decision had been. Even after more than a year thinking about that day still hurt.

"Oh my sweet child." Kalperdean hugged her firmly to his chest reminded of his own children. "I had no idea and I think in this case, this knowledge should be kept out of any texts or books. Too many people I fear would abuse such knowledge."

Lucy wiped her face and nodded her head. Laxus had said something similar after she'd told him what had happened during the war with Tartarus warning her to not share the details with just anyone. Had she not had special permission from Stache Face to share it with Kalperdean Lucy would have continued her play at ignorance of how Aquarius' key broke. Freed and Hibiki were both too smart to fall for the lie but they accepted her need of secrecy in the matter so played along as well.

"Oh I know this is a terrible time but I did need to warn you about a couple of things during your stay." The dean finally broke the silence as he led Lucy into the apartment she would use while in Cellis.

"I had been curious as to why you picked me up at the pier personally. I can imagine how busy you must be with classes, your personal research and running the Academe."

"Yes, you have it right in one and if you'd arrived after December 10th I would have most likely had one of my professors or my assistant show you around." He smiled slyly. As it was he had to beat a couple of volunteers off after word got out the Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail was coming for a visit so he could have this time alone with her before things got crazy.

"So specific." Lucy muttered wracking her brain as to what significance December 10th had.

"It's the day after Zen leaves." At Lucy's confused look he continued. "Zen is what is known as an arch angel mage, the only one of his kind presently, and his magic has a weird quirk when around celestial magic users…"

"But that's almost every mage studying and working here, right? Why would I be different? And what kind of weird quirk?" Lucy knew she was missing something. Why was he only concerned about her?

"Well my dear, his magic has a way of seducing people like us and vice versa. It's more corrupting than you would think, heightening the influence of the celestial mages desires on them until there is little else in their minds, striping him of his will to resist them."

"That…that's horrible!" Lucy felt outraged for the man and not a little for herself. What separated man from beast was the rationality of the mind, the ability to set aside their desires or channel them elsewhere instead of mindlessly acting on them. And for this other mage to be forced to comply with that all? Even simple creatures in nature got to choose.

"It is and in an effort to allow Zen to study here and be free from the influence of others he and I created a bond between us. As the mage with the largest wellspring of power here my claim stands uncontested… that was until now."

Lucy's mind swirled at the implications. There were too many unknowns so she focused on what she knew she could control, herself.

"You're referring to me. You're afraid I might have more untapped power and that fact might negate the protection you've established for him." She was a little surprised but it wasn't wholly unexpected. The past few years of Lucy's life has pushed her much farther than many mage's of her type. The fact that she practiced celestial summoning magic made her magical containers that much larger than other mages except healers and slayers, it was a fact Porlyusica told her after she'd went to the woman complaining about a tightness in her chest recently.

The old healer found it to be pressure from the built up of too much magic in her body and noted on the magnitude of her magical containers. ' _I've only seen sizes like this in Wendy and the rest of those dragon brats but unlike them, your heart is preventing them to expand fully,' she said._

' _My heart?'_

' _Yes your heart. It is the seat of all magic idiot child. Your heart is preventing your third origin from opening completely so the magic it is calling to break the barrier completely is building up in your system.'_

' _Why would my heart do that?'_

' _How should I know that you stinking human? You're not in any danger. Now get out of my house!'_

' _But how do I make the pain stop?' she pleaded as she was shoved through the door._

' _Does no one have any sense these days? Use your magic.'_

And with that Porlyusica slammed her door shut ending any future conversations. Lucy was hoping that while she was here she might be able to find out why her magic was being sealed as well as finding Aquarius.

"I am. The trials we experience in our lives force us to grow emotionally and magically and with everything you've been directly involved with so young the power you contain is palpable even now. Whether or not it is more than mine might not be an issue because even if I did contain more, you are still an incredibly powerful unattached young lady in the prime of her child bearing years."

Lucy swallowed harshly. Fuck Her Life. Did she not deal with enough shit because she was little, blonde, busty and cute? Now what gave her protection from perverted predators she was finding out was like a drug to her and this archangel mage when they got close. What worried her most was she doubted she'd continue to have the presence of mind to continue taking her contraceptives for the duration if his magic affected her like Kalperdean suggested.

"Exactly. One simple spell and it's likely you two would be acting like dogs in heat." It was as close to a description as he could get. "Now we can't have you in magic cancelling cuffs all the time or else your participation in the hunt for Aquarius's key would be useless and you wouldn't be able to keep your promise to show me each of your Stardress forms – something neither of us wants to happen – so my solution is a little weird and uses a very ancient magic but I think it might work."

"What?" Lucy forced out the sound around the frog taking up residence in her throat.

"It would be a bond similar to what I have with Zen only you would be my second not servant. His magic should recognize you as his to protect above everyone other than myself but it would also make you off limits without my express blessing. Since I've already promised Zen I would never use our bond to compel him to do anything the only effect this should have on either of you is to negate the compelling nature in his magic unless I die of course."

"Wh-what happens then?" She was afraid to ask but did anyway. Lucy was likely to outlive the man.

"Then my bond with him would transfer to you but I don't plan on dying for a good long while and Zen will most likely be mated by then and the bond will have been replaced by that."

She sighed in relief. That she could do and if it came down to it she could always make the same promise to Zen so he could continue living his life on his own terms.

"Have you asked if he was ok with this? While you live a fairly secure life here I often find myself in danger and I would not want him forced to stay by my side interrupting his life because of that."

"I have discussed this with him fully and he agreed. There is no way for him not to feel when you are in dire need but he felt the trade-off was acceptable. I believe he said, 'protecting her is protecting myself. Why is that an issue?'" Kalperdean laughed. "And the boy has a point. As long as you and I are alive he can't be mindlessly preyed upon."

"Ok so what do I do?" Lucy agreed. Such a small price for her to pay to keep her mind in control.

-LCL-

Year 788: April; Present

Kaleb stared at the ceiling in his room mind restless keeping him awake. He didn't believe in coincidences, never had. He'd seen too much of the human mind to know someone was always holding the leash when things like this happened. The question was who? And why?

When Cristoff had said Lucy's name at dinner tonight Kaleb did not miss the, albeit brief, reactions most of his family had. His mental link with them, usually indistinguishable white noise unless their thoughts were heightened in agitation or he focused specifically on them, provided the same face over and over again most in very intimate ways before each dismissed the idea as hopeful thinking. It seemed only his father and Vander hadn't met Lucy and only he and Cristoff new she was the same Lucy they were all going to meet tomorrow.

He couldn't blame them, Lucy wasn't a common name but it wasn't especially rare either. Nor did he mind that most of his siblings had shared pleasure with her either; she was incredibly beautiful, exotic in their native land and had he been given the opportunity Kaleb would have already had her in his bed too. Only… he hadn't. That's why he couldn't settle his mind.

Out of all of them he would bet he knew Lucy better than all of them, excluding Bickslow. Before he reached out to her a little less than a year ago to help save Vander he done a lot of research on the woman he'd remembered to make sure she was capable of helping, that he wouldn't just be sending her to her death. With his magic too? He was bound to have more insight into who she really was.

So why had he not been given a similar change to be with her?

The first time he'd met her there was no time to spare and she was too innocent to think about physical intimacy beyond kissing or hand holding; sweet but he'd of felt horrible had he taken advantage of that and acted on his interest.

The second time he saw her was through a communications lacrima asking for her help. He'd been unable to forget about her since, his mind running wild with fantasies of meeting her again whenever he wasn't busy with guild work.

When he found out about Bickslow's mating and his family started making plans for a visit Kaleb had decided he would look up Lucy again, see if she'd be interested in sharing pleasure or a simple meal with him, anything to see if her mind still captivated his own, if she was still attracted to him. Only, once again, circumstances were keeping him away and not because she'd slept with the better part of his family.

Pleasure is pleasure, they and she were all free to seek it where they would. She wasn't the first person his siblings or he had shared among themselves, some even at the same time. Though they had denied requests before when people tryied to share pleasure with each of them just to say they had. It was funny, unintentionally Lucy had managed to bed as many of them as she had probably without even being aware; it's not like any of them ran around trumpeting their very recognizable last name, with a father and brother working for the Boscan Consulate it wasn't a smart thing to do.

The issue wasn't even because she was pregnant with Bix's babies. They weren't promised or married so Kaleb would have had no problem sharing pleasure with her if she was amenable. No, the problem was the fact it was Bixslow's and Cobra's children she was carrying. There was no way a territorial dragon slayer would let anyone bed his Brood Mother so Kaleb had to ask…Who was keeping him away from Lucy?

What was it about him that set him apart from his family that he would be the one denied an opportunity with the intelligent, beautiful, kind, generous, and powerful woman?

Kaleb rubbed his face. He was a patient man, he could wait and in the meantime he would pursue a friendship with her, delight in the way her mind worked…for now.

-LCL-

Year x786: November; A Year And A Half Before Present

Four days ago Zen felt a second link click into place. It was subtle, more so than the first had been, but its nature was different. Kalperdean's felt warm, accepting, all the feelings he got when he was around family. Lucy's, on the other hand, called softly to him like a lover's caress, yearning to be near him. It made Zen wary to approach her. What if the ancient bonding spell worked differently based on the genders involved, individual circumstances? What if the dean had been wrong about this woman and she used this indirect connection to him to control him? The risk had kept him as far away from Lucy as possible just in case.

That was until today. That beckoning call stopped, shifted, became a calm content happiness that settled in his chest. Still different from Kalperdean's connection but at least the seductive feeling was gone. Zen dived out of the clouds landing softly following the feeling of joy right to the Academe's library, up 7 stories, deep into the bowels of the stacks, right to a small brightly lit desk covered in open books and the smallest peak of blonde hair.

He smiled, the scene was so achingly familiar yet he couldn't place from where. The memory was hazy with the only particular things in focus; A golden charm bracelet glinting in the light, the smell of ink and paper in the air, a feeling of security and happiness. Obviously this couldn't be from between the ages of 2-18 while he was captive in Pergrande so maybe before. Whatever it was gave Zen the reassurance needed to close the gap and finally meet this woman who would ensure he maintained his free will until he was lucky enough to find his other half.

"What are you reading?" the voice startled Lucy, her reflexes confused as if not sure she should get on her feet ready to fight – with all the ambush attacks she'd been fending off lately this response was less over-kill and smarter than you'd think – or remain seated at the innocent question registered in her brain. The divergent gut reactions had the blonde tumbling out of her chair landing on her back looking up into a handsome face. Her skin flushed in embarrassment.

"Ummm." She flushed darker her mind commanding her to speak intelligently and quit acting like an idiot before the finest hunk of man meat within a fifty mile radius. _What would you have me say oh wise one?_ She thought to herself.

 _Ummm…_

 _Exactly. Now shut up he's saying something._

Zen looked down at the woman, her warm eyes wide with shock, nose scrunching at what he would guess was an internal debate, and smiled. His first impression, studious, his second impression cute and innocent like a bunny.

"I apologize I didn't mean to startle you." He reached down to help her up.

"Not your fault, my nerves had been a little on edge so trying not to come out swinging to someone normal had me tied up." Lucy gratefully let him lift her easily, internally squealing that his muscles were not just for show.

"Oh?" he asked grabbing a empty chair and swinging it around so he could sit next to her, arms crossed over the back, chin settled on his arms ready to continue the first casual conversation he'd had outside of Kalperdean and his wife in a while.

"Yeah, I think the isolation has made everyone a little crazy out here. If I'm not fighting off people out of the blue for being a bitch interloper come here to steal their man, which I don't even understand, then I'm fending off amorous advances by some very persistent individuals. Whatever happened to Boscans just walking up to people, politely asking if they would like to share pleasure, then moving on if you're not interested? That's what my friends told me to expect but the reality has been anything but!" Lucy dropped her head on the open text before her suddenly relieved after unloading on the kind stranger.

Zen smiled crookedly holding back a chuckle. She really didn't know the half of it. Cellis was paved mainly in moonstone which gathered the magic from the heavens to fuel the protection wards around the city but there was still a lot of unused magic that permeated the air making most celestial mages a little "moon drunk", as his family liked to say, off the magic until they got used to the environment. Even after they sobered up Zen found some people here to be a little more intense in their reactions to things, it was nice to know Lucy wasn't one of them.

The arch angel mage placed a comforting hand on the frustrated woman's back in silent commiseration.

"Thanks for listening to my rambling," she sighed lifting her head again and smiling. "I'm Lucy by the way," she kissed his check in the Boscan way of greeting.

"Zen." He returned the favor only intentionally catching the corner of her lips.

"Wait the archangel mage?" Lucy involuntarily flushed at his nod. Stars she was glad she'd agreed to the bond because had she met this guy under their combined magic's influence she was a little worried about what she would have had him do to her; he already made her pulse quicken without any help.

Lucy searched her brain for more to say not ready for this to end. She wanted to casually steer the conversation into flirting territory and see if he was single and interested. Her mind had burnt out at least an hour ago and could use a good break but she was so used to the men around her taking the initiative she was a little lost for words.

Zen, had he only known, found himself equally frustrated about the same. All he usually had to do was stand there and smirk and women would flock to him. How did someone go about pursuing a female who wasn't that forward? Was it because she was from Fiore or just not interested in him or interested in him yet? He didn't want to get rejected out of hand because he didn't act in the way she preferred; he hadn't missed the fact she'd only talked about politely denying direct requests…A lightbulb flashed in his brain.

"So what are you reading?" his asked his initial question again.

"Oh! Right, well I'm trying to see what's wrong with me." Lucy hummed then turned back to her stack of books. "Magically speaking of course," she added realizing her word choice was probably not the best. Last thing she wanted him to think was that she had some unknown STD or something. "My third origin won't open so my magic builds up trying to break it making my chest hurts. I've gone to see doctors, healers, researchers and the only lead I have was a 300 year old journal this guy kept where he talks about having a similar pain from unknown causes. What brought me here was this guy was also a celestial spirit summoner so I was thinking maybe just maybe it might have to do with my magic and not me." Once she started she couldn't stop. Lucy could blame her love of words and communication all she liked, truth was she was born a chatter box blessed with the gift of oversharing.

Zen nodded then help up a single finger telling her silently to wait before he got up and moved to an entirely different section. He knew exactly what was going on with the blonde, had stumbled across the answer while learning about his own magic in fact.

Lucy watched silently as Zen walked back towards her very much enjoying the view. She knew he was tall, skin tanned darker than most Boscans but hadn't gotten to appreciate how he wore loose fitting slacks that sat low on his hips or the way his tight tank top hugged the skin not quite long enough to meet the waistband of his pants until know. His hair was longer than most males too, dark brown almost black with red/brown and blonde highlights doing wonders in bringing out the gold flecks in his deep purple eyes. Stars he was sexy.

Slyly Zen flexed his body just a little as he walked back to the desk gauging her interest and he wasn't disappointed, her cheeks were flushed, her breathing was shallow and her eyes were dilated and focused on him.

"Would you like to share pleasure with me?" The words were out of his mouth before he could bite them back. _What the hell? I thought I already decided being direct was not the right move._

"Fuck yes." She breathed internally equally as shocked at her eager and rather crass response - _too much time around Bix and Laxus?_ \- but she would not be taking her answer back anytime soon.

In seconds Zen had Lucy pressed against his body, one hand fisted in her hair the other tight on her ass, hungry mouth sealed over her pale pink lips as the world fell away. Lucy's hands dug into his shoulders, her legs wrapped around his hips as she pressed herself closer. He groaned at the heat so close to his dick the slight movement from her hips flexing teasingly.

Zen pressed Lucy hard into the side of the desk grinding into her harshly, his need for release driving him to be rougher than he usually was. Even when he was a gladiator in the pits in Pregrande he'd been given women more frequently than he could find acceptable partners here so he was a little eager, maybe… He'd make sure to make it up to her later.

Lucy screamed in frustration at the fabric separating her from her goal and without thought she had one of Cancer's giant shears she carried when in his Stardress form in her hand, their clothes falling to the ground in confetti.

"Fuck that was hot," Zen rammed into the beautiful woman in his arms knocking several books on the floor as he picked up a rhythm, eyes torn in between watching the way her large breasts bounced or the wonderful way her face twisted in her desire for him.

"Harder, oh fuck faster, more there right there…again!" she cried heels digging into his rock hard ass not giving a single fuck if she was overheard.

"Ngh." Zen gritted his teeth, his ending coming on much faster than usual for him but he held on, Lucy's walls fluttering around his pulsing dick, she was so close.

"Zen!" she screamed, back arched, head touching the desk as she convulsed completely missing the huge burst of magic that came from her.

Zen grunted, her pussy slammed hard onto his dick, her magical release washing over his body. It was enough to push him over as well, hips bucking wildly into her dripping heat riding out the pleasure.

"That was," Lucy heaved trying to catch her breathe. "So good."

Zen grunted his body semi collapsed over her smaller frame face buried in her neck. "Also should take care of your origin problems," he whispered into her ear loving the feel of her skin on his.

"Hmmm?" she asked still in a blissful orgasmic haze.

"Your magic type has a limiter on it and it takes a primary bond with an archangel mage to open the seal. Didn't know us fucking would change the bond order I have with you and the dean but I can feel it. You're now first, Kalperdean second," he answered drowsily wrapping around her tighter, loving the way she smelt sweet and a little tart.

"I promise you Zen, I will never use this bond to force you into doing anything you do not want or even to call you to my side. Those things are for you to decide for yourself," she said the words she'd idly scripted earlier should the unexpected happen and Kalperdean passed sooner rather than later. Well, the unexpected happened just in a significantly different way.

Zen stiffened already feeling the compulsory magic that had been building up bleed away from Lucy's bond followed swiftly by an absolute loyal dedication to this woman. She, completely unasked for, gave him something no one else could or would, complete freedom for the first time in his life. This was huge, it meant more than the world to him. She was someone he would proudly protect with his life.

-End of Chapter-


	9. Day 7: Doxy

Day 7: Doxy Emi and Xally meet Lucy

Year x788: April; Present

"Bix don't even think about it." Cobra warned.

"…"

"You're thinking about it. Stop."

"You don't know what I'm thinking."

"Vanilla ice cream is not a good substitute for heavy cream in alfredo sauce." Cobra rolled his eye amazed how much in denial his mate was that his mental blocks could no longer keep him out not that they were mated.

"Have you ever tried it?" Came the defensive jab.

"…yes." To be fair it had been one of the only pranks Macbeth had been able to successfully pull on him all those years ago, swapping out melted vanilla flavored ice cream for the carton of heavy cream in the ice box. It backfired on him since Cobra used it to make Alfredo for all of the Seis that night. That bathroom had never been the same.

"Bullshit, I call foul. You're not supposed to lie to your mate Sugar Lips, it's just not nice." Bickslow wielded Lucy's Chef Knife.

"Put that down." His warning was unheeded as Bickslow tried to slice the bell peppers but caught his finger instead.

"Ouch!"

"I warned you."

"I can help!"

"…" Cobra swore it was like talking to a stubborn child. He prayed for mercy that his children would be spared from Bickslow's ridiculousness.

Happily Lucy popped another kernel of popcorn in her mouth watching avidly as Cobra navigated the kitchen pulling out ingredients and pans all the while expertly fending off Bickslow's advances at "helping". It was like being at a comedy show the pair was just so funny.

Cobra kissed Bickslow as bold as brass snatching the flour right out of the seith mage's hands, added a spoonful to the pan of melted butter before the man knew he'd been thwarted again.

Lucy smiled brighter. They were definitely too cute.

Cobra's eye locked on her accusingly.

 _The cutest! Absolutely adorable._

He sneered swatting Bicklsow's hands away from the bell peppers again without even looking.

Lucy sighed, content. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so well catered to. From the moment Cobra had broken up her playtime with Bixy for a delicious lunch both men had gone out of their way to see to it she wanted for nothing. A little cloying, sure, but it was coming from a good place and she understood their need to be part of her pregnancy in any way they could; she could see it in the way they kept glancing at her stomach as if their children were somehow capable of escaping already if they looked away. Lucy was sure they'd calm down once everything wasn't so new anymore and she started showing. At least she hoped they would.

She didn't need any help peeing just yet, thank you very much.

Still it was sweet and even when Cobra snapped his teeth almost biting off Bickslow's already injured finger the love was still there, a softness in both men's eyes that hadn't been there before. It was equal parts heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time.

Cobra suddenly looked away from Bickslow smile gone, eye narrowed, causing the larger man to follow his gaze. He'd been having a lot of fun messing with his mate.

"Cosplayer? Why are you crying?

Lucy jumped, startled out of her spiraling thoughts just as surprised when her fingers came away wet when she brushed her cheeks.

"I don't know…"

"Fuck that noise." Cobra's jaw was tight, he hated it when she got this way. It had been a while since he's caught a glimpse of it and he honestly thought she'd grown out of it. He was wrong.

"Of course you do there's no use in denying it Starfire. I can hear you." He glared. He almost forgot what her soul sounded like like this, that overwhelming melancholy hush, and just exactly why his younger self had hated her so much.

Even back then the sound had driven him to feel things for her, soft things that had no place in his life anymore since he'd locked anything that made him vulnerable away when he was still prepubescent. It brought back memories of when he was first brought to the tower, family and friends slaughtered, burned to death; even now it forced him to remember those times. How could it be with all the people around her Lucy still felt so lonely and starved for love?

"It's nothing, really. Just my stupid childish insecurities." She tried waving away their concern.

"Lucy?" Bickslow asked more than a little concerned now. Her tears hadn't stopped, if anything they'd increased.

"I'm fine! It must be the pregnancy hormones kicking in or something." She wiped her face frantically but the tears wouldn't stop. Hadn't she already cried enough for today?

"You're not fine, you're in denial. Starfire, it's ok to want to find love not just pleasure. You're allowed to fucking want it all, want someone to start your own family with who'll love you so fucking much it hurts like I do Bix. It's ok to want to find that one person who completes you. You're over compensating thinking sex is enough. It never can be." Cobra felt his jaw pop from the tension.

The kitchen went silent. Lucy's eyes bugged puffy but finally dry. "You actually said it."

Cobra listened closely again as she didn't continue speaking but was met with absolute silence. It was fucking eerie. What had he said that was so surprising? He was always blunt, unafraid to lay it all out there Dr. Phil style.

"You love me." Bickslow smiled as the words processed. Their bond had let him feel Erik's growing feelings but he'd not expected to hear the words actually come out of his mouth. His tongue was lollying before he could stop it when Cobra's eye bugged to the size of Lucy's.

"Ah Sugar Lips, I love you too! Come here." Bickslow gave chase arms wide when Cobra ran through the house decidedly not afraid of his mate and definitely not screaming like a little girl when Bickslow lunged at him.

Lucy smiled again, happy. Cobra was right but so was she. The way she felt was mostly because of what happened when she was a little girl but that didn't mean those feelings were stupid or silly. Maybe she was over compensating like he said, collecting unobtainable lovers as a shield to protect her from her feelings of isolation and want of true companionship, of the kind of love that lasted forever. It was worth thinking on and since she was forced into being exclusively the mated couple's for the duration of her pregnancy she had plenty of time.

-LCL-

Emzadi dipped the small brush in the lacquer ready for the next nail. "I still think you should look her up. It's not like it'd be all that hard, you said she was a mage of Fairy Tail right?"

"Em…that was more than a year ago. Yes we had an amazing time together but I was the first woman she'd ever been with."

"So you're saying she'll definitely remember you. No one forgets their first," Emzadi smirked suggestively catching her sister's foot before it could hit her.

"Remember, yes, felt anything more? I don't know…"

"What was her name again?"

"Lucy," Xally sighed as memories of the bubbly blonde surfaced again.

"You don't think your Lucy is Bix's Lucy do you? How many Lucy's do you think live in Magnolia?"

"I…I don't know." _Could Earthland really be that small?_

"Well, look at the bright side, if she is you'll have every excuse to get to know her better while you're here, see if the spark is still there."

"That is if it doesn't get super awkward." Xally groaned hands pulling at her black hair.

"Oooo, I just had a thought. What if you asked Bix to join him, his mate and Lucy? Cobra's dragon shouldn't mind since you're also female and you know Bickslow wouldn't mind, knowing him he'd totally help you win her heart."

"Stop Em, we don't even know if it's her for sure let alone if she'd still be interested. Now what color do you want?" Xally held up a couple of nail polish bottles for her sister to choose from.

"I'm just saying, be yourself. You deserve to be happy too." Emzadi pointed at a brilliant red polish, her signature color.

-LCL-

Year x787: February; A Year Before Present

"What do you feel like eating for dinner tonight?" Emzadi asked dropping into the deck chair next to her sister and laying out in the sun while they still had the temperate weather of a Boscan winter to enjoy. When they got further south the cold iciness of Fiore would start taking hold and only the most adventurous would be making use of the outdoor pool then. Not that it would bother her; the cold doesn't bother her anyway. It felt like minutes passed and her sister hadn't answered her.

"Xal?" She turned to look at her sister. "Earthland to Xally." She sat up to get a better look at her sister but she was completely zoned out.

"Xally!" Emzadi said louder pushing her sister's shoulder to get her attention.

"Huh? What? Em, why did you hit me?" Emzadi just rolled her eyes.

"That's what happens when you ignore a dragoness now spill. Where were you a minute ago because it wasn't here?"

"Oh I was just thinking about what I needed to do for midterms."

Emzadi eyed her sister not believing her for a second, especially not when a blush was flaming her cheeks.

"Really huh? Midterms? What's this midterm's name?" she asked.

"Lucy," Xally sighed slumping back in her seat a dreamy smile on her face.

"Lucy huh? When do I get to meet her?" Em smiled wide. It was times like this the solar dragon slayer was reminded just how easy it was to make Xally talk. All you had to do was talk to her when she was distracted by something else and her mouth answered on auto-pilot, a habit she picked up while trying to study with such a large, loud family.

"Meet my midterm…?" The question didn't make sense pulling Xally out of her fantasy enough for her to focus on it more so she could answer. She froze realization hit as her sister's smile widened. Had she inadvertently said something? Xally didn't remember, she'd been too focused on the largest mocha colored eyes on the cutest woman she'd ever met.

"Come on Xal you might as well tell me now," Emzadi said flagging down one of the pool attendants. "So this Lucy, tell me about her?"

Xally crossed her arms over her chest and looked away only now remembering why vacationing with her sister was so annoying as the attendant forgot to take her order before walking away practically tripping over himself, eyes stuck only on Em. She rolled her eyes.

It also didn't help the woman loved sticking her nose all up in your business when she wasn't off seducing droves of men just for the fun of it. It made meeting anyone next to impossible because at 6 feet tall, wild long blonde hair, the kind of curves most women would die for with a confidant outgoing personality Emzadi just pulled attention leaving Xally lost in the back ground.

She wasn't jealous of her sister, Xally knew she was just as beautiful if not quite so tall and curvy, with the dark traditional looks of a Boscan, wouldn't trade personalities or bodies with her sister if that was even possible. It was just frustrating she didn't get a chance to know anyone before her sister inadvertently had them on their knees in worship at her feet.

"Please?" Emzadi purred snuggling up to her nuzzling her hair affectionately.

"Fine," she caved when Em licked her cheek thinking it was better to stop the woman now before she really got obnoxious; she really could use her sister's advice anyway. "She's beautiful, smart, like Farron level of intelligence, has the most amazing curves I just want to curl around, bury my face in her cleavage, really sweet and outspoken…"

"Only," Emzadi prodded seeing her sister's hesitation.

"She's Fioren so I doubt she'd even consider sharing pleasure with a woman."

"Hmmm, I'm not going to lie to you. The whole country is full of prudes calling women all sorts of names like slut, bimbo, tramp, whore, or doxy the second she goes after what she wants. When do they think they live, the x500's? The way they shame our gender is ridiculous so she very well might not even realize you're interested without you being blunt about it."

"Which is not me at all."

"You and you're power flirting subtext. What's wrong pulling her in your arms and laying one on her?" Xally just rolled her eyes as Emzadi continued. "What you're forgetting is that this ship we're on? Boscan pleasure cruise that just came from the port at Pelerno."

"So?" she asked. She knew she was being dense right now but her judgement was clouded by a bubbly personality with the cutest giggle she'd ever heard.

"So, she's likely familiar with our culture and given the current options of men I've seen so far on this ship? She might be willing to expand her horizons with the most wonderful woman Bosco has to offer." Emzadi planted a huge sloppy kiss on her sister's forehead. She meant every word she'd said too. Xally was brilliant when it came to healing magic or chemistry and was drop dead gorgeous. Outside of the bath attendants employed by the cruise liner the pickings were slim for a woman looking for actual shared pleasure instead of the selfish shit the dickweed passangers here offered.

"You think? She did say she had just spent time studying at the Academe Celestine…"

"Hah!" Emzadi cheered. "She's a celestial mage? Nevermind, she'd have to be to have studied there. Likely her cherry's already popped from both men and women with how frisky they get up there."

"True…So you think I should go for it?"

"What kind of question is that? Are you a Boscan woman or not?"

Xally smiled brilliantly and practically jumped out of her deck chair. She only had one more day before Lucy was leaving the ship. If she said no it wasn't likely they'd see each other again but if she said yes? It wasn't a lot of time left to be together.

Xally was already skipping some classes for this extended weekend her sister dragged her away from school suddenly for. She had midterms in less than a week too so she couldn't afford to delay her return to spend more time with Lucy if things worked out.

-LCL-

Getting off the airship Emzadi waited for her sister, her sister that had completely abandoned her for the rest of the trip chasing after some tail. She laughed out loud. _Oh how the tables have been turned._

Catching her sister's scent Emzadi turned her bright orange eyes on the crowd only to see her sister wrapped around a very busty petite blonde playing tonsil hockey and grabbing her ass like there was no tomorrow.

Discretely Emzadi fished out her camera and took a couple of photos. It was always wise to have a little blackmail on anyone in the family in your pocket, you never knew when you would have to ensure their silence to their father.

It helped that they were absolutely adorable together, too bad they had to be heading back home so soon. She watched as her sister leaned down and whisper something in the woman's ear, it was too loud outside for Em's sensitive hearing to pick up but whatever she'd said had the little blonde turning all sorts of red before Xally kissed one more time.

 _Ah, young love,_ Emzadi smirked tucking her camera away before her sister caught her.

"So how did it go?" she asked when her sister finally joined her eyebrow raised knowingly.

"She's really sweet. Even helped me study." Xally kept her face straight for as long as she could but her sister's disbelieving face was too much and a giggle escaped. "We played residents and helped each other with our anatomy lessons." Her wicked smirk could not be contained.

Emzadi's booming laugh could be heard over the crowd as the sisters boarded their return flight.

-LCL-

Year x788: April; Present

Today was the day Lucy would finally meet the rest of Bickslow's family and she was really nervous not knowing what to expect from a family that raised both Bickslow and Cristoff. They had to be friendly, right? Both men were absolutely sweet and that wouldn't happen if the rest were horrible, it just wasn't possible…

Then again Bickslow didn't talk much about his family so he could not be very close to them…but Ambassador Pradesh had been incredibly nice when she called him and told him about Bickslow's mating to Cobra, had broken out in the most amazing smile at the news…

Pacing around her "apartment" Lucy could not keep still. She had too many thoughts fighting for her attention the least of which had been the way she'd spend the night in the center of a cuddle sandwich after movie night turned to erotica theater as Erik pinned Bickslow's ass down right there in the media room because he'd been teasing Erik all night, at least that's what he growled out when he'd done it…

Then they were a tangle of limbs, grunting and growling on the floor until Lucy got so worked up watching them Erik's nose picked up her scent. Oh man, the rest of the night had been interesting the way both men worked together to on her while still getting their fill of each other.

Cristoff had told her Cobra's dragon instincts would push him and Bix to ensure their Brood Mother, aka her, was just as happily occupied as they were so she wouldn't run off with their hatchlings for her own entertainment, not that Lucy would even consider doing something like that but she wasn't going to complain about what that supposed threat had them willing to do either.

Just thinking about it had her all hot and bothered again. _Are the pregnancy hormones just making me really horny or were they just that good?_

"We're just that good Starfire. Now get your little ass down here. Breakfast is ready." Erik's voice carried to her by his sound magic so he didn't even have to raise his voice. "I made the bacon with real maple syrup."

Those were the magic words as Lucy scurried towards the stairs getting intercepted by five flying over-protective souls possessing massive brightly colored pillows.

"No running!" "Stairs are dangerous!" "You could hurt yourself!" "Be careful Hime!" Bickslow's babies reprimanded as they flew her in a colorful cocoon of fluff to the kitchen.

Lucy could hear Bickslow's muffled cackle from the second story as she stewed in her impotent fury not able to move a muscle.

"Where the hell did these pillows come from," she screamed knowing at least Cobra would hear her.

"Oh my, I hadn't expected them to use them quite like that when I bought them," A voice she didn't recognize replied when she finally entered the kitchen with all five body length pillows securely wrapped around her person. "Ganier swore by them when she was pregnant and then I saw those five different cases and thought…"

"What Dad? My babies love Cosplayer and you gave them the power to really assert their affection." Bickslow chuckled unhelpfully in Lucy's opinion.

Then the words he said clicked…Dad. Lucy's shoulders would have slumped if they could have moved at all. _Great now his first impression of me is a flying rainbow marshmallow. Fuck. My. Life._

"Now boys, please put my Goddaughter down. I gave you each a pillow so you could help comfort Lucy as she starts to grow not trap her. Plus, it's been years since I've gotten any Lucy cuddles for myself." Arman smiled charmingly as the five little souls brought their Hime right to him, pushing her forward into his arms when the let go. They had always been well behaved for the Pradesh patriarch.

Bickslow's mouth snapped shut. Goddaughter? He'd never heard anything about his father being anyone's Godfather before but Cosplayer's? What were the odds of that?

"Godfather? I…where have you been?" Lucy hands fisted the suit jacket she was held against. If he really was her Godfather wasn't supposed to look out for her right? Make sure she grew up well? She had really needed someone like that after her mother died.

Arman's arms tightened around Lucy's body, he knew this wasn't going to be easy for her or him, that's why he came here alone and early. Slowly he moved them to the living room and settled on the couch waiting for the first waves of her tears to pass before he spoke.

"Cricket," he called softly and Lucy shuttered. Only one person called her that, her spirit Apus who she's had since her tenth birthday. Her Mom had gotten one of her letters and the small silver key was in it just for her. How could he possibly know that name?

"I tried Cricket, I tried so hard but your father had you locked away in that Kozern so far away from me and he refused to let me visit. Said if I couldn't be bothered to visit Layla before she died I had no right to see you." The tears burned his eyes but he knew he had to explain everything. "Work had taken longer than planned but when I found out about your mother's condition stopped everything. One of the delegates told me about a plant that might help her before I left so I went to find it but by the time I did it was too late. She was one of my best friends and I failed her, failed you. Never even got to say goodbye"

Lucy looked up and saw the most pain filled green eyes. This man, her Godfather knew the same pain she had lived with for most of her life and had been another victim of her father's selfish anger.

"You're him." Suddenly Lucy remembered more about her last happy birthday.

' _Momma it's my birthday! Come play with me!' A ten year old Lucy ran into her mother's room._

' _One moment dear let me put this away first then I have a surprise for you.' Lucy watched hands clasped behind her back waiting patiently as her mother folded one of the letters she had in her hands and placed it neatly in the box on her writing table. Her mother always loved getting letters especially from Bābā who lived super far away._

' _Come here dear, Arman wrote a letter for you too."_

' _Really? Me too?' she scramble to her mother's lap, eyes fixed on the paper._

'Dear Cricket,'

' _I can read it,' she interrupted._

' _I'm sorry dear. Go ahead.' Her mother smiled softly._

'Dear Cricket,

'I'm sorry I couldn't be there for your special day but you are always in my thoughts. I've sent you another special friend in hopes of making it up to you just a little bit. I told him to take special care of my little Cricket all the times I can't be there with you.

'Now for the good news. I'm planning to come for a visit with all my children this time so you can finally meet them all. Their anxious to meet you and we should be there by the 10th.

'Love, Your Bābā'

 _Lucy saw a small package land in her lap over her special letter and squealed excitedly as she unwrapped it quickly._

' _Oh, I don't recognize this constellation Mama. Who is my new friend?'_

' _That's Apus my dear. The Bird of Paradise.'_

' _So cool,' her eyes sparkled._

' _Up you go." Layla lifted Lucy's quickly growing body off her lap and set her on the floor. 'Go put him with your other keys and then we can go out and play.'_

' _Okay,' Lucy ran out of the room as fast as possible, key in hand forgetting her special letter in her haste._

"Bābā?" her voice cracked and then she was tackled on the couch by a very enthusiastic hug.

"Cricket you remember me!" Arman cried.

The rest of the morning was filled with chatter, some exchanges of snark to break up the "cloying sweetness" of the Hallmark worthy reunion and a surprisingly abundant amount of snacks that Cobra kept pushing at Lucy whenever she stopped talking enough to eat.

"Oh wait!" Lucy exclaimed then shot up to her feet only making it halfway to the stairs before Papa and Popo had her in their orange and yellow fluffy grasps again. "To my room babies!" she cheered letting the little spirts take her up the "evil steps from hell".

Arman smiled holding his cup of warm tea at her exuberant nature. She really hadn't changed much from the little girl he remembered even after all she'd been through.

Lucy was back down stairs in minutes, two small beautifully carved boxes under her arms.

"What do you have there, Cricket?" Arman asked curiously as he watched her set them on the table in front of him.

"This one has all the letters you wrote to Mama. My dad tried throwing them out with all of my Mother's things but Apus helped me save them, just snapped his fingers and they were in his spatial palace before anyone was wiser. I haven't read any of them, couldn't invade her privacy like that, but I know she'd want you to have them."

Arman's fingers slid lightly over the intricate design, a symbol Ganier and Layla had designed back when they were still so young and thought about opening their own magic store together. He smiled then looked at the more plain but equally as cared for box.

"And this?"

"When I was lonely or sad I would write letters to my mother and tell her about my day. I remember how much she loved getting letters and even though she was far away I still wanted her to be happy." Lucy smiled then tucked herself back in Arman's side where she'd been all morning. "I thought you might like to have them too, a way of taking back some of the time my father stole for us."

Arman sat back and kissed Lucy's temple lightly. _That he did Cricket and if I can help it that won't be happening again for a very long time._

-LCL-

"Has anyone seen Dad?" Zen asked as he walked into the kitchen to join his siblings for a late breakfast. "You all look like shit by the way."

"Thanks bro. You sure know how to speak to a lady," Emzadi chided spearing the sausage Zen was about to take. He rolled his eyes and grabbed another on the platter.

"I think it's safe to say we all had a lot on our minds given recent events," Cristoff explained between bites of his waffle. _Not to mention the anticipation in the house is thick enough to cut with a knife._

"Still, Father wasn't in his room earlier and I wanted to speak with him before we left. I thought he might be down here."

"…He didn't." Kaleb didn't sound convinced.

"He wouldn't." Farron either.

"Of course not." Xally looked gob smacked.

"…"

"Who are we kidding? The man raised all of us. Of course he left early to get there first!" Vander pouted; that was his idea.

Two seconds passed then each of the Pradesh siblings were up, shoving their last bites in their mouths as they scrabbled back to their rooms to get ready. They had a brother, his mate, their hatchlings and the infamous Lucy to go meet

-End of Chapter-

So, anyone groan at the Frozen reference? I did but really how could I not keep that little gem? Really it was just so perfect! Anyways fav, follow and comment if you want to help to help Emzadi build a snowman. Her magic does make working with snow a little difficult. On the plus side she would definitely make sure your fingers and toes won't freeze.

Much Love, Blas


	10. Bonus Day: Brimstone

Alright, final chapter for LCL! I hope you guys all like it. I didn't do my usual editing because I wanted to get this out today. If I write an epilogue sometime in the future I'll probably edit this chapter and update it while I'm at it but I have a very busy week at work coming up so it might be a little bit.

Thank you for all of your support, reviews, PMs, favorites and follows.

Also to the guest reviewer, I've thought about that myself when I decided to make him her Godfather. What would happen if Arman wouldn't take Jude's no as an answer? Would he take her back to Bosco? Set her up to live with Bickslow under the radar in Magnolia so her father couldn't find her? But that's another story I might eventually write hopefully after I finish the other two stories I have going on.

Much Love, Blas

* * *

Bonus: Brimstone

Almost at the same time Cobra and Arman stiffened which had alarms going off in Lucy's head. She knew it could mean only one thing and it was something she wasn't ready for. Not that she was afraid…ok yes she was very afraid. Maybe she should have taken more time with Arman to ask about all of his children but she hadn't, it had slipped her mind as she started telling him stories about Bickslow and Cobra. As it was all she knew was that there was quiet a lot of them.

Flight won in Lucy's internal struggle and she was on her feet heading for the exit fast when a swirl of shadows wrapped around her, familiar dark red eyes appearing right in front of her.

"Small world little cricket," he purred letting his hands dance up her arms. "Who knew I would finally find you at my brother's house? It seems fate has brought us together again."

Lucy shuttered remembering that night, it was definitely in her top ten, the way he just utterly destroyed her in so many good ways only to vanish just as quickly as he'd appeared.

Cristoff watched on silently with the rest of his siblings on edge wondering idly whether or not he was going to heal his brother after Cobra was through with him for being so handsy and stupid, the decision was made for him however when he heard the words come out of his brother's mouth. His dragon almost lost its shit at the familiarity. Silvering eyes cut to Cobra only for his jaw to drop.

Right there not 15 feet away Cobra sat completely fine, if anything he looked on the verge of laughing. What in the every loving fuck?

Xally blinked, her Lucy _was_ Bix's Lucy, and Vander was doing what he always does, seducing whoever he felt like without thinking. Well not today.

Magic flared, Xally sent a powerful water stream and nailed Vander's shoulder the force just enough to throw him off to the side.

"Give it a rest Van." She moved closer to the blonde.

"Xally?" Lucy recognized that body, that hair, the way her magic flared. It had been Xally helping Lucy chase away a couple of unsavories that had brought the two of them together in the first place.

A snarl ripped from Cobra, now on his feet, eyeing the woman standing much too close to Lucy in a proprietary way.

Xally blinked but wisely moved away again not taking her eyes off of the newest member of her family she had yet to officially meet.

Lucy took that moment to let her eyes take in the full scene. The shadow mage that had made her working vacation special, who she now knew was named Vander, wrung his hair out looking at Xally curiously, Bickslow moved slowly toward Erik who was almost glued to her side, purple scales starting to dust his skin.

Across the room was a group of people, all looking probably just like she was right now, shocked and confused and she knew everyone, well almost everyone. The blonde Amazonian goddess had to be the sister Xally had spoken fondly of; Emzadi, solar dragon slayer.

Zen from Cellis, Xally from the airship, Vander from Pelerno, Farron from Hisui's coronation, Cristoff from her job tracking Fido and then…Kaleb, her crush that has lasted for the past 5 years. Her heart was in her throat.

The room was all of a sudden too hot, her chest was tight and the room was starting to go dark. This was her absolute worst nightmare, a proverbial hell on Earthland. She'd honestly rather face the fire and brimstone written about than this; she'd been partnered with Natsu for years. She could handle the heat but this?

Lucy was surrounded by almost all of her one time encounters, who, turns out, were also all related, _siblings_ , of the guy who's children she was currently carrying, and were all children of her _Godfather_ and there at the back, lavender eyes soft and concerned was Kaleb, the one she had _never_ been able to ever connect with but desperately wanted to.

He was the one she could never forget, plagued her mind in dreams at night even thought their time had been so short. The one she was planning on eventually going to Bosco to look up once she had her fucking insane as fuck life sorted out. _What have I done? What will he think of me now,_ were her last thoughts before her eyes rolled back and darkness took over.

"Bickslow," Cobra growled calling to his mate, arms around her lax body more relieved he'd stayed right where he was when Lucy's soul went insane so when she fainted he was there to catch her.

"I got this. You go ahead and settle Cosplayer." Bickslow didn't know what the fuck just happened. He felt the calm of his mate when Vander what all over Lucy, figured it had to be the fact that Erik knew Vander was his brother, had met the man before and knew he was an intractable flirt. Then Xally, he wasn't sure what happened there but Erik's dragon lost it, felt threatened by her when she wasn't even within arms-reach to Lucy. Then Lucy dropped.

"Sit," Arman said to all his children taking charge, voice hardened with a no nonsense edge. There wasn't anything that he'd missed that happened including the very complicated situation where three of his children were half in love with the petite blonde and something interesting was going on with two others. His sound magic after decades of use gave him a lot more information than most realized, like the fact that just like Erik, he could hear souls, hear thoughts and the way emotions colored them. The looks of understanding on Farron and Kaleb's faces proved he wasn't the only one to understand the current situation.

"I think it's about time for another family council meeting and clear the air. Each of you are going to explain how you know Lucy one at a time. Farron, you start." It had been years since he'd had to bring all his children together so whatever new rift between their young selves could be fixed before it got out of hand.

"I met Lucy again for the first time in years while at Queen Hisui's coronation. We spent a wonderful night together and parted way amicably." Farron kept it simple. He may like the blonde but his feelings weren't engaged beyond base attraction and friendliness. He would be happy to maybe one day call her sister.

"I can't believe you remember meeting her at all. You were only four."

"That year was kind of a big one," Farron said simply glancing over at his younger brother Zen. He would never forget the year following losing his brother and mother or the golden haired angels that brought a little light and life back into his family.

"Ok Zen now you." Arman continued agreeing with his eldest. It had definitely been a memorable time too difficult to forget.

Zen nodded, he'd planned on explaining everything with Lucy to his father already instead of trying to hide a part of his life. It would do nothing but hurt his relationship with his family.

"I met Lucy during my last month of study at the Academe Celestine. My bond with Dean Kalperdean was accidentally replaced by one with Lucy when we decided to share pleasure. We assume it had to do with the fact that Lucy power was of a similar level but her gender and age made for a more appropriate attachment. Over the month we became friends. She was my sole true companion while in Cellis." His eyes were hard as he looked at his younger siblings letting them know he was not happy about what was going on and needed to know exactly what that was. He'd felt exactly what his "celestial master" had but without the benefit as to why. Had they not been his family the why wouldn't have mattered, he probably would have cut anyone else down if only to feel like he had control to help her.

"That is unexpected. Is it safe to say your bond with Lucy is of the same nature of Kalperdean's?"

"Yes and within minutes she promised me, without being asked to, that my actions and decisions would always be mine to take."

"The knot in Arman's stomach loosened a bit. That was one of the interesting situations understood and thankfully they weren't mated like he'd feared since Zen was obviously not in love with Lucy. That would have been a disaster.

"Kaleb, you're next."

"I met Lucy years ago on her 16th birthday as you are well aware Dad. I helped her run away from her father's house so she wouldn't be sold off in an arranged marriage. What none of you know is that almost a year ago I reached out to her again for help getting Vander freed from the Steel Council." Kaleb flinched at the hard look his father gave him for risking Lucy's safety like he did. He didn't know until now how close his father was to her. He knew Jude had wanted to marry Lucy off to them for the political influence their family had but not why Arman had accepted the invitation.

"Wait, you sent Cricket to investigate Grendance?" Vander chimed in the final puzzle piece clicking into place.

"How did you know about that?" Kaleb asked. No one, not even Grendance himself had figured out how all his files ended up in King Altiene's hands. There had been no hint of magic on the man or in his office and Kaleb would like to keep it that way just in case old allies that hadn't been taken care of caught wind.

"I was waiting for him in his office to do the same thing when in dances what looks like the man himself singing-. You know what, I have video." With that Vander pulled out his video recorder and hooked it to Bickslow's LV. Until now he'd not shown this to anyone since it was the only proof that Grendance had not been the one who brought the entire operation down. It would also put Lucy right in the crosshairs; that was not worth the petty jab at seeing Grendance humiliated. He shared it now as a strategic move knowing that the humorous display would help break some of the tension in the room and that the information would stay here.

It worked. His siblings were all smiling and laughing within minutes, the tension releasing from their bodies.

"After that I found her at a club and rocked her world until the next day." He smirked unashamed of the whole experience. It had been a great night leaving him feeling better than he had for years.

"That's it?" Arman asked, serious once again.

"Yeah… Why?" Vander sounded unsure.

"Your soul was resonating with Starfire's like Zen's did. My dragon sees you both as hers…" Cobra searched for a way to explain what he felt as he walked back in the room having followed the discussion up until now. "Like you're each an extension of her now, under her authority, like she's is your Queen. Does that make sense?"

"Well the only weird thing that happened was whenever she orgasmed she let loose a pulse of healing magic that felt like what Bickslow does only it had me instantly hard again every fucking time. I drove her until she passed out once but the second she was awake again? It was almost like what happens to people during the full moon around Cristoff. I figured it was a part of her magic." He shrugged.

"When was this?" Zen cut in.

"May of last year. Right before the investigation into the Steel Council and Kurino broke."

Zen nodded. "The healing pulses were pulled from me. I felt something dark reaching for Lucy even through the muted bond. She keeps a barrier up to prevent herself from accidentally using me. I was too far away at the time to go to her but I could feel her losing control. That's when I pushed my magic through to help fight off those creatures. It seems my efforts have inadvertently connected you to her as well."

"And the lust drive that comes after you heal someone." Xally added. It was why Zen tended not to heal others, the sheer need to find release was more than a little problematic in most situations.

"Holy fuck!" Bickslow cried, eyes glowing green as he looked at Vander's soul closely for the first time since he last healed him. After the trial with Kurino was over Vander had come to visit and he had taken a brief glace at his brother's soul then but had stopped there, relieved knowing Vander's soul was recovering so well. "I knew your soul was healed but this… You've got this golden ring around it now acting as a barrier reinforcing your soul's strength. I've never seen anything like this."

Arman rubbed his temples. That was the second bond to Lucy explained if not completely understood.

"You think that's why I'm drawn to her? It wasn't until I saw her again that I realized I almost needed to be around her…"

"It is similar to how I felt before her promise to me. I suggest we have Lucy make a similar one to you as well," Zen suggested.

"Ok so that's three of you down. Kaleb, did you have anything more to add?" Arman asked already knowing that there was more he needed all of his children to hear.

Kaleb's shoulders slumped. He'd hoped that with the crazy Vander bond thing his father would forget to circle back to him. He was wrong.

"I have liked Lucy since meeting her for the first time 5 years ago, have been drawn to her even though our interactions have been short, but I've never had a chance to pursue her because the timing has never been ideal. I was hoping to use this vacation to spend some real time with her and see if maybe the feelings were mutual." What he didn't say was that with Lucy's minor breakdown he now knew they were, that they had been since the moment they met. He wanted to go to her right now, hold her in his arms, ask her on a date then ravage her mouth.

Arman nodded. "Next is Bickslow but I'm sure we can all figure out that they met at Fairy Tail and that she's a really good friend of his." Bickslow nodded tongue making its way out of his mouth but Arman cut in before Bickslow had a chance to comment. "Next, Cristoff."

Bickslow pouted until Erik snored and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm glad your dad cut you off," he whispered fighting the smile on his lips. Sharing with everyone just how good of friends they were really wouldn't help the situation. _Starfire has got to have the most complicated life ever known to man._

"Lucy was the mage who captured Drake Eves." He paused as his family took in that surprise. "I met her when I went to go pick him up. Her job was pretty much finished so I spent the full moon with her."

"Is she your mate?" Arman cut to the chase. He could imagine Kaleb, Xally or him all happy with Lucy but if she wasn't his mate it was better for all of them if he was made to accept that.

"It's hard to explain. My dragon was very interested in her from the beginning, definitely sees her as a potential mate. Like Kaleb, I was going to use our time in Magnolia to get to know her better."

"Your dragon's a fucking idiot." Cobra interjected earning a pair of growls and glares from everyone in the room. "What? Who's the mated one here? Who's the only person here who has heard what happened with the only other mated slayer? Jewel to Jelly Beans your dragon is confused because Lucy was pregnant by a dragon slayer which is like the dragon version of catnip to unmated males. Their naturally drawn to pregnant females to destroy the completion's seed and fill her with their own. Why do you think I reacted badly when we first met?"

Everything in Cristoff recoiled at the idea of taking the life of a child. He was a healer and cherished life…Realization struck, memories of Nurem telling him about Conquests, how even she couldn't stomach the idea of that happening to her greatest enemies. She warned him he would need to protect his mate especially when she was pregnant because of that.

His dragon, who had been ready to fight for his claim of the woman a second ago, went silent recoiling as well. That was in and of itself, telling. As a part of him his dragon hated the idea of conquests just as much as him, couldn't see Lucy as a conquest even if the little ones she was carrying weren't his brother's hatchlings. Still, the drive to have her was there but not understood, mistaken as the need to take her as a mate but it felt off the entire time so the dragon had not acted.

Now that Lucy was seen as Kin, those possessive feelings evaporated like they never existed leaving only the need to protect and take care of the Tatsu's Brood Mother behind. _If our mate is male, maybe she will carry our hatchlings for us if we keep her happy,_ it thought happily.

It took one look at Kaleb before Cristoff rolled his eyes internally at his dragon. It was obvious there was some real interest there with his brother and it was highly unlikely that Kaleb wouldn't pursue her to the ends of the world to have a real chance with her if he had to. His punk of a dragon was just in denial.

"My dragon is a fucking idiot. Thank you Cobra," Cristoff said earning an internal growl but finally at peace for the first time since meeting Lucy, instincts settled.

Arman sighed. The unrest he'd heard build up in Cristoff's soul was already easing to his normal soothing calm and Xally's thoughts were already changing too.

"Xally, how did you meet Lucy?"

"February last year I met Lucy on a flight from Pelerno to Fiore. Emzadi thought I could use a little fun before midterms. There was a spark and we shared pleasure, I was hoping to find out if Lucy might still be interested."

"Xal," Bickslow finally spoke up. "In all the time I'm known Lucy she's never been interested in women like that. She grew up in a really oppressive environment as I'm sure you know and that led her to a lot of experimentation with people she felt she could trust. After everything she's been through that's rare and the fact that it was you she chose to give her that experience? It was something very special but," Bickslow flashed his eyes and glanced at Kaleb then back at Xally.

"She has a soulmate and it's not me," she finished. A little disappointed but it wasn't unexpected. It had been a whole year since they'd seen each other and a part of her knew that Lucy wasn't for her and she respected the unity of Mates and Soulmates having grown up with 2 dragon slayer and a seith mage as siblings, each of which had one and she would never dream of standing in the way of that.

Kaleb's eyes went wide. "I'm her?" He couldn't finish that thought. If it wasn't true he knew he was going to be crushed. He'd tried so hard to find someone to love, who didn't quickly bore him half to death after a month. Thought that with the way her mind worked he had a chance of that with her. Even with all the drama she had with his family, the weird interconnections making their worlds incredibly small and over-lapped, he still could help but want the woman. At least it guaranteed he would never to be bored.

"Soulmate, yes. Even now her soul is trying to reach you and yours is trying to reach her."

The moment was more solemn than what it should have been with the announcement of what should be some happy news.

"Well hell, now I just feel left out. Any chance you let me work my charms on Lucy before you two walk off into the sunset and het hitched?" Emzadi dramatically asked, lips stuck out in an exaggerated pout, eyes as wide as she could get them. The innocence look just looked wrong on female slayer who was anything but.

"Hell no!" Vander chimed in. "If anyone gets another go it's me and Zen. We're all bonded and I could use a little more sexual healing." He leered at Zen trying to rile him up.

"Oh please. I think she's had enough of your shady ass to last a life time. She looked like she could really use a nice taste of the sun."

The two bickered back and forth dragging the rest of the family into their ridiculous debate until they were all laughing.

 _Hey elf princess, you hear me?_ Cobra thought drawing the immediate attention of Kaleb. Only Bickslow ever called him that but now it looked like he was going to have to deal with it from Cobra too.

 _Yes._

 _Starfire's coming to. I think you should go talk to her._

 _Your dragon going to be ok with that?_

 _My dragon knows that to keep her soulmate from her will be the quickest way to push her away from us it he doesn't want that just no funny business, not while she's pregnant,_ he warned.

Kaleb agreed and discreetly left the room.

-LCL-

Lucy cracked her eyes open, confused at where she was at first. The last thing she remembered was being with Bixy, Erik and her bābā and then… _oh god._ Lucy closed her eyes not ready to face was most likely going on down stairs.

"You know I don't care right? That you've shared pleasure with my siblings." A deep voice rumbled sending shivers through her body. She didn't move, couldn't look at him.

"How could you not? I'm carrying your brother's child for heaven's sake!" She wasn't even phased that he knew what she was thinking, too used to similar behavior from a certain poison dragon slayer down stairs.

"I'm Boscan Lucy. You think this is the first time my siblings have shared pleasure with the same person? We've even shared people together. None of you were promised so there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of and for the record, I'm happy you are able to do this for Bickslow even if it is unplanned. He deserves every ounce of happiness that can be given to him and he's always wanted a whole brood of babies." His hand gently cupped her face, the skin to skin contact was like a shock to his system and even if he hadn't already known who she was to him thanks to Bickslow earlier, he would know now.

"I'm not that keen of being someone else's baby making machine but for them?" Lucy smiled softly as Kaleb's hand moved over her flat belly, thumb gently rubbing circles across her skin. She felt butterflies in her stomach that he felt he needed to reassure her, that he was still right next to her. It gave her hope.

"No one expects you to be but I can tell you know, pray Cristoff mates a woman. His dragon really likes the idea of you do this for him if their mate is male. Is already of thinking of ways to convince you to agree," he chuckled as Lucy flushed.

She silently prayed to every god, goddess or spirit out there that not only would Cristoff mate a lovely woman but that Natsu didn't think of her when he and Gray started thinking about starting a family; _that_ would be more than a little weird.

"Lucy, spend time with me? Let me take you out on dates, hold you in my arms." He whispered in her ear delighting in how her thoughts heated towards him.

"But Erik and Bix…"

"We're soulmates Lucy," he breathed in the scent of strawberries from her shampoo. "They know and approve. We just won't be able to be intimate until after the little ones come."

Lucy fought back the tears as they burned to be free. She'd cried way too much over the last two days but when he'd said they were soulmates an overwhelming warmth had her practically glowing. If she were Natsu she had no doubt her bed would be nothing but ashes right now.

 _You're everything I have ever wanted._

Kaleb joined Lucy on her bed, pulling her close to him. _And you're all I've wanted since we've first met. I'd ask you to be my Promised right now but I think I wouldn't be able to control myself if you say yes._

Lucy giggled. That would be awkward. She could imagine Erik storming into her room all up in arms and poisoning Kaleb right then and there. _Yeah, my life is complicated enough. Ask me later when I'm free to answer._

Kaleb sighed pulling Lucy almost completely on his chest, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. He finally had Lucy in his arms, everything else could wait.

-End of Story-


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